After growing pressure from business, labour and several parties within the government of national unity (GNU), Parliament has agreed to send the Bill proposing controversial new tobacco laws back to the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) for review.
Nedlac usually considers policies and legislation with socio-economic implications before MPs begin their deliberations, but was not given an opportunity to interrogate the draft tobacco Bill or suggest amendments before it was tabled in parliament in December 2022.
Business, labour and MPs from several parties in the GNU, including the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), ActionSA, DA and African Transformation Movement, warned that failure to comply with the requirements of the Nedlac Act left the Bill open to legal challenge.
The Act says Nedlac must consider policies and legislation with socio-economic implications and submit a report to Parliament on draft Bills before legislators begin their work, reports BusinessLIVE.
On 25 October, Parliament’s legal advisers gave the Portfolio Committee on Health the green light to move forward with the Bill, but MPs were divided on how to proceed: the ANC and the committee Chair felt that work should continue, while other parties were opposed to doing so until Nedlac had been consulted.
Committee chair Sibongiseni Dhlomo was mandated to discuss the matter with Nedlac and then issued a statement saying the Bill had been referred to the body for expedited consultation.
MPs will continue with provincial public hearings on the document but will wait for Nedlac’s report before beginning their deliberations. The last round of provincial public hearings was due to take place this past weekend in KwaZulu-Natal.
A Nedlac task team is expected to hold its first meeting on the Bill this week, and hopes to submit its report to Parliament by the end of January.
BusinessLIVE article – Tobacco bill to go to Nedlac for review (Restricted access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Health Committee pushes ahead with Tobacco Bill
Parliament revives tobacco Bill