NC passes Estates Bill

THE Estates and Succession Amendment Bill was approved after a third and final reading in the National Council yesterday.

Members decided to pass the bill without delay after discussion this week by Karas member Theo Diergaardt and Vice Chairperson Margreth Mensah-Williams. The bill aims to correct the discriminatory way in which estates of deceased people were handled in terms of two pre-independence laws – the Native Administrative Proclamation of 1928, and the Administration of Estates (Rehoboth Gebiet) Proclamation of 1941.These laws made a distinction in the way in which the estates of black, white and coloured people were handled after their death.Both Diergaardt and Mensah-Williams said the laws were unconstitutional, and Mensah-Williams urged fellow lawmakers to identify and abolish any other discriminatory laws.The House passed two other bills yesterday: the General Law Amendment Bill and the Forest Amendment Bill.The National Council session is scheduled to resume on Monday.The bill aims to correct the discriminatory way in which estates of deceased people were handled in terms of two pre-independence laws – the Native Administrative Proclamation of 1928, and the Administration of Estates (Rehoboth Gebiet) Proclamation of 1941. These laws made a distinction in the way in which the estates of black, white and coloured people were handled after their death.Both Diergaardt and Mensah-Williams said the laws were unconstitutional, and Mensah-Williams urged fellow lawmakers to identify and abolish any other discriminatory laws.The House passed two other bills yesterday: the General Law Amendment Bill and the Forest Amendment Bill.The National Council session is scheduled to resume on Monday.