South Africa – The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has passed two significant bills during its hybrid plenary session: the Agricultural Product Standards Amendment Bill and the National Veld and Forest Fire Amendment Bill.
According to Parliament of South Africa, The Agricultural Product Standards Amendment Bill aims to update the Agricultural Product Standards Act of 1990. Key provisions include auditing of product management control systems and allowing assignees to set tariffs based on cost-recovery. The Bill also empowers the Minister to regulate audit and management control systems. A major goal of the Bill is to improve labelling claims accuracy on products, ensuring reliable information for consumers and enhancing food safety and quality assurance in South Africa.
The National Veld and Forest Fire Amendment Bill focuses on amending the National Veld and Forest Fire Act of 1998. It proposes the establishment of Fire Protection Associations (FPA) by municipalities or traditional councils and changes the title of the Act to the National Veldfire Act. This amendment will enable traditional leaders to form FPAs, which play a crucial role in predicting, preventing, managing, and extinguishing veld fires. Once registered, an FPA can comprehensively handle veldfire prevention and firefighting in their areas.
Both Bills will now be forwarded to the President for assent.