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The Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Social Development is calling for objections and comments on the Social Assistance Amendment Bill [B17-2008] which has been recently introduced in the National Assembly and published under the Government Gazette No. 30891 of 28 March 2008.

The purpose of the Bill is two-fold:

Firstly, the Social Assistance Act, 2004 (Act No. 13 of 2004) (the Act), currently provides that women are eligible for the old-age grant when they attain the age of 60 years and men when they attain the age of 65 years. The Bill seeks to equalize the ages of eligibility for men and women over a period of time, as suggested by the Minister of Finance in his budget speech.

Secondly, the Act currently provides that the Minister may consider an appeal against a decision of the South African Social Security Agency or that he or she may appoint an independent tribunal to consider such an appeal. The Bill seeks to rephrase the provision and to add that if the Minister appoints such a tribunal, all appeals against decisions of the Agency must from then on be considered by that tribunal.

Objections and comments on this Bill may be faxed to 040-6350010 or be emailed to stwalo@ecleg.gov.za or to mhlohlo@ecleg.gov.za. Copies of the Bill may be obtained from Mr S Twalo at telephone numbers 040-6080080 or 082 4481198 or Mr M Hlohlo at 040-608 0062 or 082 448 1189. The Bill may also be obtained from the Eastern Cape Legislature's website http://www.eclegislature.gov.za/. If you have any enquiry, please contact the above people.

 The final date for the submission of objections is Tuesday, 27 May 2008.