Verbatim text
(a) each delegate in a provincial delegation has one vote;
(b) at least one third of the delegates must be present before a vote may be taken
on the question; and
(c) the question is decided by a majority of the votes cast, but if there is an equal
number of votes on each side of the question, the delegate presiding must cast
a deciding vote.
Ordinary Bills affecting provinces
76. (1) When the National Assembly passes a Bill referred to in subsection (3), (4) or (5),
the Bill must be referred to the National Council of Provinces and dealt with in
accordance with the following procedure:
(a) The Council must—
(i) pass the Bill;
(ii) pass an amended Bill; or
(iii) reject the Bill.
(b) If the Council passes the Bill without amendment, the Bill must be submitted
to the President for assent.
(c) If the Council passes an amended Bill, the amended Bill must be referred to the
Assembly, and if the Assembly passes the amended Bill, it must be submitted
to the President for assent.
(d) If the Council rejects the Bill, or if the Assembly refuses to pass an amended Bill
referred to it in terms of paragraph (c), the Bill and, where applicable, also the
amended Bill, must be referred to the Mediation Committee, which may agree
on—Chapter 4: Parliament
41
(i) the Bill as passed by the Assembly;
(ii) the amended Bill as passed by the Council; or
(iii) another version of the Bill.
(e) If the Mediation Committee is unable to agree within 30 days of the Bill’s
referral to it, the Bill lapses unless the Assembly again passes the Bill, but with
a supporting vote of at least two thirds of its members.
(f) If the Mediation Committee agrees on the Bill as passed by the Assembly,
the Bill must be referred to the Council, and if passes the Bill, the Bill must be
submitted to the President for assent.
(g) If the Mediation Committee agrees on the amended Bill as passed by the
Council, the Bill must be referred to the Assembly, and if it is passed by the
Assembly, it must be submitted to the President for assent.
(h) If the Mediation Committee agrees on another version of the Bill, that version
of the Bill must be referred to both the Assembly and the Council, and if it is
passed by the Assembly and the Council, it must be submitted to the President
for assent.
(i) If a Bill referred to the Council in terms of paragraph (f) or (h) is not passed
by the Council, the Bill lapses unless the Assembly passes the Bill with a
supporting vote of at least two thirds of its members.
(j) If a Bill referred to the Assembly in terms of paragraph (g) or (h) is not passed
by the Assembly, that Bill lapses, but the Bill as originally passed by the
Assembly may again be passed by the Assembly, but with a supporting vote of
at least two thirds of its members.
(k) A Bill passed by the Assembly in terms of paragraph (e), (i) or (j) must be
submitted to the President for assent.
(2) When the National Council of Provinces passes a Bill referred to in subsection (3),
the Bill must be referred to the National Assembly and dealt with in accordance with
the following procedure:
(a) The Assembly must—
(i) pass the Bill;
(ii) pass an amended Bill; or
(iii) reject the Bill.
(b) A Bill passed by the Assembly in terms of paragraph (a)(i) must be submitted
to the President for assent. Chapter 4: Parliament
42(c) If the Assembly passes an amended Bill, the amended Bill must be referred to
the Council, and if the Council passes the amended Bill, it must be submitted to
the President for assent.
(d) If the Assembly rejects the Bill, or if the Council refuses to pass an amended Bill
referred to it in terms of paragraph (c), the Bill and, where applicable, also the
amended Bill must be referred to the Mediation Committee, which may agree
on—
(i) the Bill as passed by the Council;
(ii) the amended Bill as passed by the Assembly; or
(iii) another version of the Bill.
(e) If the Mediation Committee is unable to agree within 30 days of the Bill’s
referral to it, the Bill lapses.
(f) If the Mediation Committee agrees on the Bill as passed by the Council, the Bill
must be referred to the Assembly, and if the Assembly passes the Bill, the Bill
must be submitted to the President for assent.
(g) If the Mediation Committee agrees on the amended Bill as passed by the
Assembly, the Bill must be referred to the Council, and if it is passed by the
Council, it must be submitted to the President for assent.
(h) If the Mediation Committee agrees on another version of the Bill, that version
of the Bill must be referred to both the Council and the Assembly, and if it is
passed by the Council and the Assembly, it must be submitted to the President
for assent.
(i) If a Bill referred to the Assembly in terms of paragraph (f) or (h) is not passed
by the Assembly, the Bill lapses.
(3) A Bill must be dealt with in accordance with the procedure established by either
subsection (1) or subsection (2) if it falls within a functional area listed in Schedule 4
or provides for legislation envisaged in any of the following sections:
(a) Section 65(2);
(b) section 163;
(c) section 182;
(d) section 195(3) and (4);
(e) section 196; and
(f) section 197. Chapter 4: Parliament
43
(4) A Bill must be dealt with in accordance with the procedure established by
subsection (1) if it provides for legislation—
(a) envisaged in section 44(2) or 220(3); or
(b) envisaged in Chapter 13, and which includes any provision affecting the
financial interests of the provincial sphere of government.
[Para. (b) substituted by s. 1 of the Constitution Eleventh Amendment Act of 2003.]
(5) A Bill envisaged in section 42(6) must be dealt with in accordance with the
procedure established by subsection (1), except that—
(a) when the National Assembly votes on the Bill, the provisions of section 53(1)
do not apply; instead, the Bill may be passed only if a majority of the members
of the Assembly vote in favour of it; and
(b) if the Bill is referred to the Mediation Committee, the following rules apply:
(i) If the National Assembly considers a Bill envisaged in subsection (1)(g)
or (h), that Bill may be passed only if a majority of the members of the
Assembly vote in favour of it.
(ii) If the National Assembly considers or reconsiders a Bill envisaged in
subsection (1)(e), (i) or (j), that Bill may be passed only if at least two
thirds of the members of the Assembly vote in favour of it.
(6) This section does not apply to money Bills.
Money Bills
77. (1) A Bill is a money Bill if it—
(a) appropriates money;
(b) imposes national taxes, levies, duties or surcharges;
(c) abolishes or reduces, or grants exemptions from, any national taxes, levies,
duties or surcharges; or
(d) authorises direct charges against the National Revenue Fund, except a Bill
envisaged in section 214 authorising direct charges.
(2) A money Bill may not deal with any other matter except—
(a) a subordinate matter incidental to the appropriation of money;
(b) the imposition, abolition or reduction of national taxes, levies, duties or
surcharges;
(c) the granting of exemption from national taxes, levies, duties or surcharges; or
(d) the authorisation of direct charges against the National Revenue Fund. Chapter 4: Parliament
44 (3) All money Bills must be considered in accordance with the procedure established by
How to cite this
Constitution of South Africa, article 65, Portable Lawyer, https://www.portablelaw.com/provision/0d079c0b-3d07-491f-9616-783eb04f8153 (accessed 27 September 2026).
Canonical URL: https://www.portablelaw.com/provision/0d079c0b-3d07-491f-9616-783eb04f8153
Accessed 27 September 2026.
Link to the canonical URL above, not to a #section-… fragment on the jurisdiction page — the fragment is a scroll position, this URL is the provision.