upon the Ministry, organization or association concerned to nominate such number of
persons as the Minister may specify, who in its opinion are suitable and available for
appointment as members of the Council:
Provided that—
(i)
the Minister may appoint a person to be a member of the Council who
has not been so nominated and may decline to appoint any person so nominated;
(ii)
where the Minister has called for nominations in terms of this
subsection in respect of any appointment to the Council and no nominations have
been made within such period as he may specify when calling for them, the Minister
may appoint any person to be a member of the Council whether or not the person so
appointed is able to represent the views of the body whose nominations were called
for.
(4) Members of the Council shall be appointed by the Minister for such period, not
exceeding three years, as he shall specify on their appointment.
(5) The Minister shall designate one member of the Council to be its chairman and
another to be its deputy chairman.
(6) Half the members of the Council shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the
Council.
(7) The Council shall—
(a)
hold its meetings at least four times a year and in accordance with
such procedure; and
(b)
keep and furnish to the Minister such records of its meetings;
as may be prescribed or as may be directed by the Minister.
(8) Members of the Council shall be paid, out of moneys appropriated for the
purpose by Act of Parliament, such remuneration and allowances as may be
prescribed.
(9) The Director shall be responsible for performing the functions of secretary of the
Council.
(10) The Minister, with the approval of the Public Service Commission, shall assign
as staff of the Council such persons employed in his Ministry as will enable the
Council properly to carry out its functions in terms of this Act.
2B
Functions of Council
The functions of the Council shall be—
(a)
to advise the Minister and any other person that the Council thinks
appropriate on any matter relating to the welfare of children;
(b)
to monitor the overall situation of children in need of care and to try to
ensure that their welfare and rights are advanced;
(c)
to promote and encourage the co-ordination of the activities of
organizations which have as their object the promotion and protection of the rights of
children; and
(d)
to administer the Child Welfare Fund; and
(e)
to perform any other function that may be assigned to it by the
Minister.
2C
Validity of decisions and acts of Council
No decision or act of the Council shall be invalid solely because there was a vacancy
in the membership of the Council or because a disqualified person purported to act as
a member of the Council at the time the decision was taken or the act was done or
authorized.
[inserted by Act 23 of 2001, with effect from the 18th January, 2002.]
PART II
CHILDREN’S COURTS
3
Establishment of children’s courts
(1) The Minister responsible for justice may, after consultation with the Minister,
establish a children’s court for any area of Zimbabwe.
(2) Every magistrates court shall be a children’s court for any part of the area of its