Committee on Health starts public hearings on Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill

15 August 2023

The Portfolio Committee on Health will this weekend, 18 to 20 August 2023, hold public hearings on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill (B33-2022) in the the North West Province in Rustenburg at Ben Marias Hall. The province is the first to host the nationwide hearings on the Bill.

The Bill seeks to strengthen public health protection measures and align the South African tobacco control law with World Health Organisation Framework Convention and to repeal the Tobacco Control Act, 1993 (Act No. 83 of 1993). The proposed legislative and policy changes seek to introduce the following:

Indoor public places and certain outdoor areas that will be determined to be 100 per cent smoke-free;

ban the sale of cigarettes through vending machines;

plain packaging with graphic health warnings and pictorials;

ban on display at point-of-sale; and

the regulation and control of electronic nicotine delivery systems and no nicotine delivery systems.

Noting court judgements that highlighted deficiencies in public participation in the law-making process, Parliament and the legislative sector in general have committed to enhancing this constitutional imperative and which is also one of the constitutional mandates of Parliament.

“The hearings are in line with Chapter 59 (1) of South Africa’s Constitution, which compels the National Assembly to facilitate public involvement in the legislative process. Furthermore, the legislative sector adopted a public participation model that places public consultation at the centre of its business,” said Dr Kenneth Jacobs, the Chairperson of the committee.

The committee has decided to conduct public hearings during the week and on weekends to afford stakeholders, organisations and individuals enough opportunity to participate. “In trying to ensure the existence of a favourable atmosphere for a meaningful public participation process, we decided to hold hearings at times and days which will afford interested individuals and stakeholders a reasonable opportunity to participate. We are ready to listen,” Dr Jacobs emphasised.

The hearings will be held in two to three districts per province to ensure reasonable access for residents in provinces to make their inputs. Furthermore, the committee has taken a conscious decision to extend the closing date for written submissions to 4 September 2023 to afford individuals and organisations a further opportunity to make submissions to the committee.

The details of the public hearings in North West Province are as follows:

Additionally, written submissions must be emailed to: [email protected] or submissions can be made online on: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjWlMn59a9z58aNNN6UYWWAeP14_m7p0oJQARaSGg7QxED7Q/viewform?pli=1.

Issued by Malatswa Molepo, Media Officer, Parliamentary Communication Services, 15 August 2023