South Africa – The Ad Hoc Committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill has adopted a revised programme, outlining its approach to pending amendments and the public participation process.
According to Parliament of South Africa, In the coming weeks, the committee is set to receive briefings on the Bill from various intelligence and security agencies, including the State Security Agency, Office of the Chief State Law Advisor, National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee, and others. The committee plans to conduct oral public hearings in five provinces — Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and the Western Cape — from January 2024. These provinces were chosen to represent both urban and rural perspectives. Besides oral hearings, the committee will utilize other avenues for public participation, aiming to engage with a broad spectrum of citizens.
Established under National Assembly Rule 253, the committee will operate transparently, holding open meetings and exercising its powers as specified in National Assembly Rule 167. The committee is scheduled to report back to the National Assembly by 1 March 2024.