“officer of Parliament” means the Clerk or any other person appointed to the staff of
Parliament in terms of section 154(4) of the Constitution;
“Speaker”—
(a) means the person elected in terms of section 126 and section 127 of the
Constitution to be the Speaker of Parliament; and
(b) includes—
(i) the Deputy Speaker; or
(ii) any other member of Parliament when acting for the Speaker;
“Standing Orders”—
(a) means the Standing Orders made in terms of section 139 of the Constitution; and
(b) includes any rules relating to the conduct of business of any committee made in
terms of the Standing Orders.
(2) Any reference in this Act to a member of Parliament shall, unless the context otherwise
requires, be construed as including the Speaker.
PART II
PRIVILEGES, IMMUNITIES AND POWERS GENERALLY
3 Privileges, immunities and powers generally
Parliament and members and officers of Parliament shall hold, exercise and enjoy—
(a) the privileges, immunities and powers conferred upon Parliament, respectively,
by this Act or any other law; and
(b) all such other privileges, immunities and powers, not inconsistent with the
privileges, immunities and powers referred to in paragraph (a), as were applicable in
the case of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, its
members and officers, respectively, on the 18th April 1980.
4 Privileges, immunities and powers to be judicially noticed
The privileges, immunities and powers of Parliament and members and officers of
Parliament shall be part of the general and public law and it shall not be necessary to plead
them but they shall be judicially noticed in all courts.
PART III
FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND DEBATE OR PROCEEDINGS AND OTHER PRIVILEGES AND
IMMUNITIES
5 Freedom of speech and debate
(1) There shall be freedom of speech and debate or proceedings in or before Parliament and
any committee and such freedom shall not be liable to be impeached or questioned in any
court or place outside Parliament.
(2) Subsection (1) shall, subject to section thirteen, not apply to a person, other than a
member, who gives evidence in or before Parliament or a committee.
3