15. There is hereby established a Special Pensions Board which is accountable to the Minister, and which consists of a Chairperson and four other members. Appointment of members 35 40 45 16. (I) The Minister, in consultation with the President, must from persons nominated in accordance with subsection (2) appoint appropriate persons to be either full-time or part-time members of the Board, and must fill any vacancies on the Board as they arise by appointing from the persons so nominated, appropriate persons. (2) The Minister shall for the purposes of nominating the persons referred to in 50 subsection (I), establish a committee consisting of such number of members of 16 No. 17564 Act No. 69, 1996 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 8 NOVEMBER J 996 SPECIAL PENSIONS ACT, 1996 Parliament as may be determined by him or her, and such members shall be appointed in such a manner that all political parties represented in Parliament are represented proportionately in such committee: Provided that in respect of each such party at least one member shall be appointed on such committee. (3) A vacancy on the Board occurs when a member dies, when a member's resignation takes effect or when a member's appointment is terminated by the Minister in accordance with the regulations. 5 (4) A vacancy on the Board must be filled in accordance with subsection (1), as soon as practicable. In the meantime, the Board:s proceedings and decisions continue to be valid. 10 Remuneration of members 17. (1) The Minister may determine the salaries, allowances and other conditions of service of any members of the Board who are not in the service of the State. The salaries, allowances and conditions of service of those members may not be reduced or be rendered less favourable without their consent while they remain in office. (2) Members of the Board who are in the paid service of the State may not receive any additional remuneration for serving on the Board, but may have their additional expenses paid. 15 Conduct of members 18. (1) Board members are appointed in their individual capacity. Regardless of 20 personal opinion or party affiliation, they must serve independently and impartially, and perform their functions in good faith, giving full effect to the spirit and the specific obligations stipulated in this Act. (2) Board members must give reasons for their decisions. (3) Board members must avoid personal interests which conflict with the interests of 25 the Board. (4) If a member has a personal interest in any matter that might keep that member from performing the functions of the Board in a fair and unbiased manner, that member must disclose that interest in writing to the other members of the Board and may not participate in decisions regarding such matter. 30 Board to be unfettered 19. ( 1) No person or organ of state may fetter the discretion of the Board or any of its members. (2) Organs of state must assist the Board to perform its functions. Board business 35 20. (1) The Chairperson must determine the time and place of Board meetings. (2) Subject to the regulations, the Board may establish its own rules of procedure for meetings of the Board. (3) The Board- ( a) must develop a budget, and a written business plan by which it proposes to 40 achieve its objectives; (h) within 21 days after being appointed, must submit its first budget and business plan to the Minister for approval ; and (c) must prepare monthly written reports of its activities, and submit those reports to the Minister when the Minister requests them. · 45 Staff and contractors 21. (1) The Board may- ( a) ask the public service to second to the Board any skilled personnel the Board requires to achieve its objectives; and (b) conclude contracts in order to obtain the services of persons who have the 50 requisite skills but are unavailable through secondment. (2) When the Minister dissolves the Board- ( a) the secondment of all staff seconded to the Board will terminate; and 18 No. 17564 Act No. 69, 1996 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 8 NOVEMBER J 996 SPECIAL PENSIONS ACT, 1996 (b) all contracts with persons for services in terms of subsection (I )(b) will expire, and neither the Board nor the State will be liable for any damages in respect of the expiration of those contracts. Chief Executive ·Officer 22. (I) The Board must appoint a person who has been seconded to it in terms of subsection 21 (I) to be Chief Executive Officer, subject to any applicable law governing the seconded person 's employment. 5 (2) The Chief Executive Officer must assist the Board in performing its functions, and is accountable to the Minister in respect of the performance of any functions that the Board assigns to the Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the management and administrative control of the affairs of the Board. (3) The Chief Executive Officer must perform the functions of his or her office impartially, subject to- ( a) any part of any Jaw relating to the public service, to the extent that the Board directs; the Exchequer Act, 1975 (Act No. 66 of 1975); and the Auditor-General Act, 1995 (Act No. 12 of 1995). (b) (c) Board finances 23. (I) Benefits payable in terms of Part I of this Act must be paid from money appropriated by Parliament for that purpose. (2) The Board's funds consist of money appropriated by Parliament, which the Board may use only- I 0 15 20 ( a) for the defrayal of expenditures relating to its functions or the functions of the (b) Review Board; and in accordance with the current statement of estimated expenditures prepared 25 by the Board, and approved by the Minister, in terms of subsection (3). (3) (a) Each year, at a time that the Minister determines, the Board must submit a statement of its estimated expenditures, and of the estimated expenditures of the Review Board for the following financial year to the Minister for approval. (b) During a financial year, the Board may submit an adjusted statement of estimated 30 expenditures for that year to the Minister for approval. (4) The Board may not incur expenditure that causes the total expenditure in that financial year to exceed the total approved expenditure for that financial year. (5) The Board must open and maintain an account in the name of the Board with a bank registered in the Republic, or with another financial institution approved by the 35 Minister, and must- ( a) deposit to that account any money that the Board receives; and (b) make any payment on behalf of the Board, or the Review Board, from the account. (6) The Chief Executive Officer- 40 (a) is the accounting officer of the Board and is responsible for managing the Board's budget; and (b) subject to the Exchequer Act, 1975 (Act No. 66 of 1975), is accountable for all State money that the Board receives or pays, and must keep the records needed to comply with that Act. 45 (7) The Auditor-General must audit the Board 's financial records. (8) The financial year of the Board extends from 1 April each year to 31 March of the following year. Duties and powers of Board 24. (1) The Board must take appropriate steps to communicate in plain language to all 50 persons who may have an interest- ( a) (b) (c) the right to benefits in terms of this Act; the qualifications for benefits; the procedure to apply for benefits; and 20 No. 17564 Act No. 69, 1996 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 8 NOVEMBER I 996 SPECIAL PENSIONS ACT, I 996 (d) any other information that may assist a person to apply for a benefit. (2) The Board may- ( a) undertake or arrange for research relating to its objectives and. functions; and (b) conduct any investigation that is required to perform its functions. (3) (a) If an applicant does not qualify for a benefit in terms of this Act, the Board must consider whether the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established by section 2 of the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act, 1995 (Act No. 34 of 1995), or any other organ of the State, may be able to assist the applicant, and if so, the Board must- 5 (i) forward the relevant application, together with the particulars that the Board 10 has compiled relative to the application, to that organ of State; and (ii) advise the applicant that it has been done . (b) Any organ of state receiving an application forwarded by the Board in terms of this subsection must accept and process that application as if it had been submitted to it as an application in terms of, and in the form prescribed by, any applicable Jaw. 15 (4) If an applicant might qualify for a benefit in terms of section 2(1)( d)(iv), but, at the time of application, no court of Jaw has made an order presuming the missing person to be dead, the Board, on behalf of the applicant, must take the necessary steps to obtain the appropriate court order. Board investigations 25. (1) The Board, by written notice, may require a person to appear before it, to answer questions, and to produce any article or document in or under that person's possession, custody or control that might be relevant to an investigation. The notice must- ( a) be in the prescribed form; and (b) be served on the person concerned either by registered letter addressed to the person's last known address, or in the same manner that a summons is served on a witness to appear in a magistrate's court. (2) The Board may administer an oath to, or take an affirmation from, and then question- 20 25 30 (a) a person who has been requested to appear under subsection (1); and (b) a person who could have been so requested and who is present at the place where the Board's investigation is held, whether or not that person was required to appear before the Board. (3) Any person questioned in terms of subsection (2) may refuse to answer any 35 question if the answer could reveal that the person- ( a) had committed an offence; or (b) had done or omitted to do anything that could expose that person to a claim for damages. ( 4) The Board may request any person or political organisation to provide to the 40 Board any relevant information, including information relating to an applicant in terms of this Act. (5) Any person or political organisation from whom the Board has requested information in terms of subsection (4) must provide the Board with any relevant information at their disposal. 45 Legal proceedings against Board 26. ( 1) The State Liability Act, 1957 (Act No. 20 of 1957), applies, with the changes required by context, in respect of the Board, except that any reference in that Act to "the Minister of the department concerned" must be read as referring to the Chairperson of the Board. (2) Members of the Board, or of the Board's staff, and persons contracted by the Board, are not liable for any cause of action arising out of anything reflected in any 50 22 No. 17564 Act No. 69, 1996 GOVERNMENT GAZEITE, 8 NOVEMBER 1996 SPECIAL PENSIONS ACT, I 996 report, finding, point of view or recommendation that they make or express in good faith to Parliament, or any other person in terms of the Constitution or this Act. (3) Members of the Board, or of the Board:~ staff, and persons contracted by the Board must not disclose any information revealed to them in the performance of their functions in terms of this Act, except as specifically required or permitted by this Act or any other law. Dissolution of Board 27. (1) The Minister may dissolve the Board at any time after the Board has completed its activities, but not later than 2 years after the commencement date. (2) Upon dissolution of the Board- 5 10 (a) (b) the Pensions Administration of the Department of Finance is responsible for the performance for the administrative functions of the Board in terms of this Act; and the Minister must assume responsibility for the discretionary functions of the Board in terms of this Act, but the Minister may delegate responsibility to the 15 head of the said Pension Administration. Review Board 28. (1) There is hereby established a Special Pensions Review Board, consisting of a judge of the Supreme Court as its Chairperson and two other members, one of whom must be an actuary. 20 (2) The Minister must appoint the members of the Review Board, and fill any vacancies on the Review Board as they arise. (3) The Review Board must determine its own rules of procedure. ( 4) The Review Board must consider every appeal submitted to it and may confirm the decision of the Board or may replace it with another decision. 25 (5) The provisions of sections 16, 17, 18, 19, 25 and 26 apply to the Review Board, with the changes required by context. PART 3-GENERAL PROVISIONS Minister's powers 29. (1) The Minister may make regulations- 30 (a) (b) required to achieve the objects and purposes of this Act; or regarding any matter required or permitted to be prescribed in terms of this Act. (2) The Minister may, by notice in the Government Gazette, amend or replace the amounts mentioned in Schedule 3, subject to the appropriation by Parliament of money 35 required to finance any increases of such amounts. (3) Any power, function or duty conferred, assigned or imposed upon the Minister by thisAct, may be delegated or assigned by the Minister, in writing, to any officer in the public service, but the delegation or assignment of such power, function or duty does not divest the Minister of that power, function or duty. 40 Offences 30. (1) A person or political organisation is guilty of an offence if that person or organisation- ( a) prevents or obstructs the performance of any activity contemplated by this Act; 45 (b) refuses, or without sufficient cause fails, to comply with an obligation imposed in terms of this Act; or intentionally submits false or misleading information to the Board. (2) A person who intentionally fails to notify the Department of Finance of the death (c) 24 No. 17564 Act No. 69, 1996 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 8 NOVEMBER 1996 SPECIAL PENSIONS ACT, 1996 of a person who was receiving benefits in terms of this Act, and as a result of that failure is benefited in any way, is guilty of an offence. (3) Except as is otherwise provided in subsection (4), a person or political organisation convicted of an offence in terms of subsection (1) is liable for a maximum ~cl~~. 5 (4) A person or political organisation convicted of an offence in terms of subsection (1) in circumstances in which such person or organisation has benefited in any way, or who is convicted in terms of subsection (2), is liable to the same penalty as that applicable in respect of the crime of fraud. Definitions 31. (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates- (i) "actuary" means a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of England or the Faculty of Actuaries in Scotland or the Society of Actuaries of America; (iv) (ii) "applicant" means a person who submits a completed application as contemplated in section 6; (ii) (iii) "application" means- 10 15 ( a) (b) in respect of a person seeking benefits as a pensioner, a completed and sworn statement set out in form 1 of Schedule 2; in respect of a person seeking a benefit as a spouse or dependant of a deceased person, a completed and sworn statement set out in form 2 20 prescribed in Schedule 2; (i) (iv) "beneficiary" means a person who in terms of a determination of the Board qualifies for a benefit; (v) (v) "benefit" means a sum of money payable in terms of Part 1; (xxiii) (vi) "Board" means the Special Pensions Board, established by section 15; (xvii) 25 (vii) "closing date" means the date 12 months after the commencement date; (xx) (viii) "commencement date" means the date on which this Act comes into operati.or · (ix) "Constitution" means the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993 in terms of section 32(2); (vii) · (Act No. 200 of 1993); (ix) (x) "dependant" means an applicant who- ( a) is the natural child or parent of a deceased person on whom the applicant financially depended for maintenance at the time the person died; and (b) at the application date is either not yet 21 years of age, or is unable to provide adequately for his or her maintenance; (iii) (xi) "Minister" means the Minister of Finance; (xii) (xii) "pension" means a right to the monthly payment of a pension determined in terms of section 1; (xiv) 30 35 (xiii) "pensioner" means a person entitled to a pension; (xv) (xiv) "permanent and total disability" means any physical or mental condition that 40 renders a person unable to provide adequately for his or her own maintenance; (vi) (xv) "political organisation" means an association of persons formed with either a political or military purpose, whether or not that association was incorporated, and which- (a) existed for at least five years prior to 2 February 1990; (b) had a permanent governing and executive structure; and (c) before 2 February 1990, was restricted in terms of any law or was 45 declared to be unlawful in terms of any Jaw; (xvi) (xvi) "public service" means a department referred to in Schedule 1 of the Public 50 Service Act, 1994 (Proclamation No. 103 of 1994), or an organisational component referred to in Schedule 2 of the Public Service Act; (xxi) (xvii) "regulation" means a regulation made in terms of section 29(1 ); (xviii) 26 No. 17564 Act No. 69, 1996 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE. 8 NOVEMBER 1996 SPECIAL PENSIONS ACT, 1996 (xviii) "Republic" means the national territory as referred to in section 1 of the Constitution; (xix) (xix) "Review Board" means the Special Pensions Review Board, established by section 28(1) of this Act; (x) (xx) "spouse" means an applicant who, at the date on which another person died or disappeared, was the partner of that person in a marriage relationship; (viii) 5 (xxi) "survivor" means a spouse or dependant or a deceased person; (xiii) (xxii) "this Act" includes the section numbers, the Schedules and any regulations made in terms of section 29, but does not include the page headers, headings or footnotes; (xi) 10 (xxiii) "2 February 1990" means, with respect to any person, 2 February 1990, or the first date after 2 February 1990 on which that person was released from prison or detention in terms of any law mentioned in Schedule 1 of this Act, or from the terms of an order referred to in section 1 (l)(b )(ii), or, in the case of a person who was engaged in the full-time service of a political organisation, 15 the day on which that person was repatriated or indemnified, whichever was the earlier. (xxii) (2) In the application of the definition of- ( a) "spouse" mentioned in subsection (1) "marriage relationship" means- (i) a marriage; (ii) a union contracted in accordance with customary law or which is 20 recognised as marriage in accordance with the tenets of any religion; (iii) a continuous cohabitation in a homosexual or heterosexual partnership for a period of at least 5 years; (b) "political organisation" mentioned in that subsection, a particular political 25 party may be recognised as such under one name only. Short title and commencement 32. (1) This Act is called the Special Pensions Act, 1996. (2) This Act comes into operation on a date to be set by the President by proclamation in the Government Gazette. 30 :x No. 17564 Act No. 6'1, 199\i GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 8 NOVEMBER 1996 SPECIAL PENSIONS ACT, 1996 SCHEDULE 1 CRIMES AND LIST OF ACTS (Section l(l)(b )(iii)) (1) The common law in respect of the crimes of treason, sedition and crimen laesae majestatis5 . (2) Any of the Acts mentioned in the following table: NO. AND YEAR OF ACT SHORT TITLE Act 27 of 1914 Act 38 of 1927 Act 44 of 1950 Act 3 of 1953 Act 8 of 1953 Act 17 of 1956 Act 76 of 1962 Act 37 of 1963 Act 62 of 1966 Act 83 of 1967 Act 94 of 1974 Act 74 of 1982 Riotous Assemblies and Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1914 Native Administration Act, 1927 Suppression of Communism Act, 1950 . Public Safety Act, 1953 Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1953 Riotous Assemblies Act, 1956 General Law AmendmentAct, 1962 General Law Amendment Act 1963 General Law Amendment Act, I 966 Terrorism Act, 1967 Second General Law Amendment Act, 1974 Internal Security Act, 1982 - .. SCHEDULE2 APPLICAtiON FORM FOR PENSION (UNDER SPECIAL PENSIONS ACT; 1996) Instructions: If you were a member of a political organisation and are applying on your own behalf, please complete section 1.1. If you have been permanently disabled, please complete sectiort 1.2. If you are the spouse or dependant of a deceased or missing person, please complete section 1.3. If you apply on behalf of a deceased or missing person, please complete the political history of the deceased or missing person, as Indicated in section 1.4. 1, PERSONAL INFORMATION 1.1 APPLiCANT (a) Surname .............................................. (b) Title ................................... ;; ....... .. (c) Full names ............ ............................ · ............................................................... . ldentity number (ID) ....................................... (e) Age (in years) .......... ...... .. (d) (f) bate of birth ............. ............ ........ · .... .................. ............................................. . (g) Citizenship ...................................................................................................... . (h) Home address .................................................................................................. . (i) Postal address .......................................... .... (j) Postal code .... ................ ...... . (k) Are you a member of any legislative body? (l) Telephone number of office or home ...................... : ...................................... .. Yes 0 No 0 Certified copies of identity document (ID) must be provided