President Cyril Ramaphosa has recently enacted several significant pieces of legislation, marking a notable update to South Africa’s legal framework. Among the new laws is the contentious Public Procurement Bill, despite opposition from two partners within the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Additionally, Ramaphosa has signed the Climate Change Bill into law, outlining the nation’s strategies for dealing with, mitigating, and adapting to the pressing global issue of climate change.
Another critical piece of legislation now official is the National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill, aimed at improving support for entrepreneurs by merging existing financing mechanisms into a singular new entity.
Just last week, the president also approved the Pension Amendment Bill, which introduces a dual-pot retirement system benefitting parastatal employees, part of a broader effort to enhance public sector retirement plans.
The newly signed Public Procurement Act mandates a preferential framework for all state departments and public bodies in their procurement processes. This bill, however, faced resistance from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus, and was opposed by the Western Cape during the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) vote in May.
Vincent Magwenya, the presidential spokesperson, explained that the Public Procurement Act aims to rectify systemic procurement flaws that have historically allowed corruption, including instances of state capture.
The National Small Enterprise Amendment Act also introduces a new finance agency that consolidates various development and financial institutions to better support emerging entrepreneurs. Additionally, it establishes an ombuds service to address unfair trading practices.
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