Land Acquisition Act (consolidated to 10-5-02) (10) Any proposal circulated among all members and agreed to in writing by a majority of them shall be of the same effect as a resolution passed at a duly constituted meeting of the Derelict Land Board and shall be incorporated in the minutes of the next succeeding meeting of the Board: Provided that, if a member requires that any such proposal be placed before the Board, this subsection shall not apply to the proposal. (11) Except as otherwise provided in this Part, the procedure for the convening and conduct of meetings of the Derelict Land Board shall be as fixed from time to time by the Board. 35 Minutes of proceedings of Derelict Land Board (1) The Derelict Land Board shall cause minutes of all proceedings of and decisions taken at all meetings of the Board to be entered in books kept for the purpose. (2) Any minutes referred to in subsection (1) which purport to be signed by the chairman of the meeting to which the minutes relate or by the chairman of the next following meeting of the Derelict Land Board shall be accepted for all purposes as prima facie evidence of the proceedings of and decisions taken at the meeting concerned. 36 Remuneration and allowances of members A member shall be paid— (a) such remuneration as the Minister, with the approval of the Minister responsible for finance, may fix for members generally; and (b) such allowances as the Minister, with the approval of the Minister responsible for finance, may fix to meet any reasonable expenses incurred by the member in connection with the business of the Derelict Land Board. [Section amended by s. 17 of Act 15/2000.] 37 Expenses of Derelict Land Board Any expenses incurred by the Derelict Land Board in carrying out its functions in terms of this Act shall be met, on the direction of the Minister, from moneys appropriated for the purpose by Act of Parliament. 38 Validity of decisions and acts of Derelict Land Board No decision or act of the Derelict Land Board and no act done under the authority of the Board shall be invalid solely because, at the time the decision was taken or the act was done or authorised— (a) there were one or more vacancies in the membership of the Board; or (b) a disqualified person acted as a member of the Board; if the duly appointed members who were present when the decision was taken or the act was done or authorised by the Board constituted a quorum in terms of subsection (5) of section 34. 39 Powers of Derelict Land Board (1) The powers, rights and privileges of the Derelict Land Board and its members in the exercise of the Board’s functions in terms of this Act shall be the same as those conferred upon a commissioner by the Commissions of Inquiry Act [Chapter 10:07], other than the power to order a person to be detained in custody, and sections 9 to 13 and 15 to 18 of that Act shall apply, mutatis mutandis, in relation to an inquiry or investigation conducted by the Board and to a person summoned to give evidence or giving evidence at the inquiry or investigation. (2) If any person summoned to give evidence or to produce books, plans, accounts or other documents fails to appear before the Derelict Land Board or refuses to be examined on oath or to answer any question or to produce any such document, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and such imprisonment. PART VII PROVISIONS RELATING TO DERELICT LAND 40 Appointment of Chief Land Officer and other land officers (1) There shall be a Chief Land Officer and such other land officers as may be required, whose offices shall be public offices and form part of the Public Service. (2) Any land officer, when performing the functions of the Chief Land Officer in terms of this Act, shall be subject to the direction of the Chief Land Officer. (3) The Chief Land Officer and any land officer appointed in terms of subsection (1) may at all reasonable times enter upon any land to ascertain the nature and extent of occupation thereon and for other purposes reasonably connected with their functions in terms of this Act: Provided that, before any entry is made in terms of this subsection, the owner or occupier of the land shall be given not less than 14 days’ notice unless such notice is waived by such owner or occupier. 41 Reports on derelict land (1) Where the Chief Land Officer has reason to believe that any land is derelict, he shall investigate the matter and, if satisfied that the land in question is derelict, shall submit a report to the Derelict Land Board accordingly. (2) The Derelict Land Board shall consider any report submitted to it in terms of subsection (1) and, if it considers that there is substance in the report, shall hold an inquiry in terms of section 42 for the purpose of determining whether or not the land concerned should be declared derelict. - 15 -