Selected Official Documents of the South African Republic and Great Britain | Page 6

half of the
members shall go out; the other half shall vacate their seats at the end
of the fourth year, and so on. New members of the Volksraad shall be
chosen from the districts whose members fall out. Retiring members
are re-eligible.
ARTICLE 33.--The Volksraad appoints, outside its members, a
Secretary, to be proposed by the Executive Council.
ARTICLE 34.--A Volksraad member who absents himself, and does
not comply with the notice to attend, incurs a penalty of Rds. 75.

ARTICLE 35.--The reasons for a Volksraad member's non-appearance
are:--
(1) Indisposition and bodily infirmity, to be proved by the member
chosen or summoned, by a signed declaration of the Landrost,
Commandant, or Field-Cornet of his division.
(2) Such unforeseen circumstances, being actually proved, as make it
impossible for him to be present, or to remain there.
ARTICLE 36.--All objections, excuses, and notices mentioned in
Articles 34 and 35 shall be sent into the President and be decided upon
by the Executive Council. Provision shall be made as soon as possible
to fill in the places open in consequence.
ARTICLE 37.--The members of the Volksraad shall, before taking up
their official duties, be sworn by the members of the Volksraad who are
present on the day of the session; their oath shall be of the nature of the
following:--
"As elected member of the Volksraad of this Republic, I declare,
believe, and swear solemnly, that I have neither made nor promised
gifts to anyone to reach this office; that I shall be faithful in this office
to the people; that I shall act in accordance with the Constitution and
other laws of this country, according to the best of my knowledge and
conscience, and consider only the furtherance of the happiness and
welfare of the public at large."
ARTICLE 38.--The members of the Volksraad present choose their
Chairman after the opening of the session, and before the annual
business.
ARTICLE 39.--All deliberations shall be settled by a bare majority of
the votes of the members voting.
ARTICLE 40.--The Volksraad does not separate before all matters of
business which must be treated of are finished, and the session is closed
by the President of the Volksraad. A member can obtain leave of

absence from the Volksraad, if he is in such case as mentioned in No. 2,
Article 35.
ARTICLE 41.--The members of the Volksraad doing service as such
shall be free from military service, without being free from the costs
which the military authorities may exact from them: they shall enjoy
remuneration for the period of their stay during the cessation of their
private business.
ARTICLE 42.--The meetings are held with open doors, unless the
Volksraad decide that the discussions upon some proposition be taken
in secret. The persons present who have no seat in the Volksraad may
only speak when they answer a question of the President.
ARTICLE 43.--The President shall bring forward for discussion the
proposals for laws which have come in before the Volksraad, whether
the latter have been made known to the public three months before the
commencement of the session, or whether the same have come in
during the session of the Volksraad.
ARTICLE 44.--When the notices of laws and Government notices to
the public have not been given in time, the President shall examine
with whom the blame of that delay lies. A Landrost found guilty hereof
shall have a fine of Rds. 50 inflicted, and a Field-Cornet or lesser
official of Rds. 25.
ARTICLE 45.--A copy of every law which has been adopted shall be
sent in by the Chairman to the President for execution.
ARTICLE 46.--When a new President is appointed, the Volksraad shall
depute four of its members and the Secretary to invite him to come and
take his official oath in the meeting of the Volksraad.
ARTICLE 47.--On the appointment of the members of the Executive
Council and the Commandant-General, the Volksraad shall give them
written notice thereof, in order to enable them to take the official oath
before the Volksraad at a time to be fixed.

ARTICLE 48.--The President shall annually submit a list of all officials
appointed during the year for the approval or disapproval of the
Volksraad.
ARTICLE 49.--In the event of the Court, contemplated by Article 8 of
the Amendment of the Grondwet of 1877, declaring the State President,
or the Supreme Court, contemplated by Article 115 of the Grondwet,
declaring the Commandant-General or other members of the Executive
unfit to occupy his or their office, the Chairman of the Volksraad, upon
the receipt of the decision of such Court, shall convene the members of
the Volksraad, who shall be bound to attend, in order to dismiss the
official or officials found guilty; and to provide for the filling up of the
vacancy or vacancies so caused.
ARTICLE 50.--The