Judicial Matters Amendment Act 22 of 2005

The Judicial Matters Amendment Act 22 of 2005 intends:

• To amend-
  • the Magistrates' Courts Act, 1944, so as to provide for the disposal of part heard cases by permanently appointed magistrates who vacate the office of magistrate;
  • the Administration of Estates Act, 1965, so as:
    • to amend the definition of "Master"; and
    • to provide that the Chief Master is subject to the control, direction and supervision of the Minister;
  • the Companies Act, 1973 [repealed May 2011], so as to effect a technical correction;
  • the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977, so as to effect a technical correction;
  • the Attorneys Act, 1979, so as to allow a council to exempt an attorney from the attendance of a legal practice management course in certain circumstances; 
  • the Right of Appearance in Courts Act, 1995, so as to provide that an attorney that has been granted the right to appear in a High Court may do so in any court in the Republic;
  • the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, 1996, so as to provide for the delegation by the head of a Special Investigating Unit of his or her powers and functions in certain circumstances;
  • the Maintenance Act, 1998, so as to further regulate the appointment or designation of officers in the Department as maintenance investigators;
  • the Debt Collectors Act, 1998, so as:
    • to amend the definition of "debt collector";
    • to correct an erroneous reference;
    • to provide anew for the keeping of registers by the Debt Collectors Council;
    • to provide for the cancellation of the registration of a debt collector; and
    • to further regulate the provisions relating to trust accounts of debt collectors;
  • the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, 2000, so as:
    • to make provision for the publishing of a code of good administrative conduct by notice in the Gazette; and
    • to extend the period of time within which the code of good administrative conduct must be made;
  • the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 2000, so as to extend the application of the Act expressly to include intersexed persons within the definition of sex;
  • the Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Act, 2002, so as to clarify the provision regarding the surrender of a person to the International Criminal Court; and
  • the Judicial Matters Second Amendment Act, 2003, so as to repeal a redundant provision;
• and to provide for matters connected therewith.

Commencement

• 11 January 2006, except Sections 1 and 10 to 14
• 2 November 2007, Sections 1 to 14, excluding 14(c) (Gazette 30435 of 2 November 2007)
• 14 August 2009, Section 6 (Gazette 32494 of 14 August 2009)
• 1 November 2006, Section 9 in terms of Section 19(4) (Gazette 29343 of 31 October 2006)