Everything about Senate Of South Africa totally explained
The
Senate was the
upper house of the
Parliament of
South Africa between
1910 and
1981, and between
1994 and
1997.
1910-1981
Under white minority rule in the
Union of South Africa, most of the Senators were chosen by an
electoral college consisting of Members of each of the four Provincial Councils and Members of the
House of Assembly (the
lower house of Parliament, directly elected). The remaining Senators were appointed by the
Governor General of the Union on the advice of the
Prime Minister. The Senate's presiding officer was called the President, whereas his counterpart in the House of Assembly was the Speaker.
In
1958,
Nationalist Prime Minister
Hendrik Verwoerd wanted to amend one of the
entrenched clauses in the
Constitution, and remove voting rights from
Coloureds, but his party didn't have a two-thirds majority in the Senate enabling him to do this. Consequently, he nominated large numbers of party supporters to be appointed as Senators, thereby ensuring a majority in the upper house, and the change to the Constitution.
The Senate reverted to its original size, and its composition remained unchanged by the declaration of the Republic of South Africa in
1961, except that the
State President took the role of the Governor-General in appointing Senators. The President of the Senate was able to serve as acting State President.
In
1980, Prime Minister
P.W Botha began a process of constitutional reform, and the Senate was abolished with effect from
1981. Some former Senators became members of an enlarged House of Assembly, chosen by the elected members. The President's Council, an advisory body consisting of white, coloured and Asian members only, occupied the former Senate chamber. In
1984, the chamber was converted for use as the
House of Representatives, reserved for coloureds under the
tricameral system. Black South Africans remained excluded from the political process.
1994-1997
Under the country's first non-racial Constitution in
1994, the Senate was once again the upper house of a
bicameral parliament, the lower house being the
National Assembly. It was indirectly elected by members of each of the nine Provincial Legislatures, with each province having ten Senators. In
1997, the Senate was replaced by a
National Council of Provinces (NCoP), which retained the former Senate's membership, although changed its legislative and constitutional role.
Presidents of the Senate of South Africa (1910-1980) and (1994-1997)
1994-1997 Kobie Coetsee
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