President Jacob Zuma has signed into law the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Bill, 2013 as well as assented to the Cooperative Amendment Act 6 of 2013.
Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act
The Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act seeks to bridge the racial divide in spatial terms and to transform the settlement patterns of the country in a manner that gives effect to the key constitutional provisions.
It will address the legacy of the discriminatory, inefficient and costly special pattern which puts a considerable burden on the public resources. The Act will also ensure that the restructuring of the South African cities, towns and settlements is in line with the priorities and principles of the democratic government.
In particular, the objectives of the Act are to:
a) provide for a uniform, effective and comprehensive system of spatial planning and land use management of the Republic;
b) ensure that the system of spatial planning and land use management promotes social and economic inclusion;
c) provide for development principles and norms and standards;
d) provide the sustainable and efficient use of land;
e) provide for the cooperative government and intergovernmental relations amongst the national, provincial and local spheres of government; and
f) redress the imbalance of the past and ensure that there is equity in the application of spatial development planning and land use management.
Co-operative Amendment Act
President Jacob Zuma assented to the Cooperative Amendment Act 6 of 2013. This is an amendment to The Cooperatives Act 14 of 2005 which came into effect on 2 May 2007.
This Act provides for the establishment, functions and powers of the Cooperatives Development Agency. Amongst others, the amendment provides for associate membership of the cooperatives, the annual submission of information to CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Property Commission), categories of primary cooperatives and the national apex cooperatives.
Besides providing for the establishment, composition and functions of the Cooperative Tribunal, the Act provides for a Cooperative to apply for a declaratory order in respect of the liquidation process and for the registrar of Tribunal to order the winding-up of a cooperative.
The legislation amends the accounting practices by providing for the audit and independent review of cooperatives, the payment of fees by the cooperative for the amalgamation, division and conservation, including the transfer of cooperatives.
The Cooperative Amendment Act states that the provincial departments of Economic Development, under which cooperatives in South Africa fall, will be responsible for the coordinating and reporting of all cooperative activities in the provinces involving other departments' and stakeholders, while the municipalities will be responsible for the coordinating activities within their area of jurisdiction.
Enquiries:
Mac Maharaj
Cell: 079 879 3203
E-mail: macmaharaj@icloud.com
