NATURAL SCIENTIFIC PROFESSIONS: ACT TO BE REPEALED, REPLACED

NATURAL SCIENTIFIC PROFESSIONS: ACT TO BE REPEALED, REPLACED

• 17 March 2026
• Science, Innovation & Technology
• SA Legal Academy

The Department of Science, Technology & Innovation has called for input by 15 May 2026 on a draft Natural Scientific Professions Bill intended to repeal and replace the 2003 Act. In the absence of a memorandum on the proposed new Bill’s objects, it is not clear why. A clue may lie in the draft Bill’s definition of the term ‘natural science’, which is ‘a branch of science concerned with the study of the objects or phenomena of the natural world and the derivatives thereof, involved in the fields of practice’.

Providing for the ‘continued existence of South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions, the draft Bill focuses on governance, management and administrative matters – among other things establishing a board to manage and control the business of the Council.

One significant departure from the 2003 Act is that no provision is made for the positions of Council president and vice-president. Others are the introduction of professional development requirements and candidate mentoring obligations to be met by all persons registered under the proposed new Act.

Unfortunately, there is no updated version of the 2003 statute reflecting amendments made in 2011 and 2014.

• draft Bill
• 2003 statute with 2011 and 2014 amendment Acts

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

Follow us on X @SALegalAcademy (you can also join us on LinkedIn and Facebook)

If you use this information in articles, reports and social media posts of your own, please acknowledge SA Legal Academy Policy Watch as your source

0 COMMENTS

LEAVE A COMMENT