2   No. 42866 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 28 NOVEMBER 2019 Act No. 8 of 2019 Critical Infrastructure Protection Act, 2019 (English text signed by the President) (Assented to 20 November 2019) ACT To provide for the identification and declaration of infrastructure as critical infrastructure; to provide for guidelines and factors to be taken into account to ensure transparent identification and declaration of critical infrastructure; to provide for measures to be put in place for the protection, safeguarding and resilience of critical infrastructure; to provide for the establishment of the Critical Infrastructure Council and its functions; to provide for the administration of the Act under the control of the National Commissioner as well as the functions of the National Commissioner in relation to the Act; to provide for the establishment of committees and their functions; to provide for the designation and functions of inspectors; to provide for the powers and duties of persons in control of critical infrastructure; to provide for reporting obligations; to provide for transitional arrangements; to provide for the repeal of the National Key Points Act, 1980, and related laws; and to provide for matters connected therewith. PREAMBLE WHEREAS the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, provides that all spheres of government and all organs of state must secure the well-being of the people of the Republic; AND WHEREAS the Constitution of the Republic provides for the right of access to information, subject to the limitations provided for in section 36 of the Constitution; AND WHEREAS the protection of critical infrastructure is essential for public safety, national security and the continuous provision of basic public services; AND WHEREAS it is necessary to put in place adequate measures to identify and protect critical infrastructure and the implementation of those measures in order to secure critical infrastructure; MINDFUL of the need to follow objective criteria with regard to the identification and declaration of critical infrastructure; AND FURTHER MINDFUL of the need for the roles, responsibilities and accountability of parties with regard to the protection of critical infrastructure to be defined and for the enhancement of public confidence and awareness in respect of the protection of critical infrastructure; AND REALISING the need to enhance cooperation between Government and the private sector with regard to the protection of critical infrastructure in the interests of the Republic, This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za