The withdrawal of the Rental Housing Amendment Bill (RHAB) by Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale on Wednesday undermined Parliament's mandate, the DA said.
“Members from all parties in the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements today (Wednesday) expressed their dissatisfaction with the minister’s decision,” Democratic Alliance spokesman Stevens Mokgalapa said in a statement.
Sexwale had argued that it would have been legally and practically impossible for his department to put the bill into effect, he said.
It was introduced in September, and during committee deliberations, Sexwale had several opportunities to express his reservations about the bill but raised none, Mokgalapa said.
The RHAB outlines support mechanisms for the relationship between tenants and landlords, including a proposed appeals mechanism to evaluate disputes.
The DA would support committee proposals to re-introduce the RHAB to parliament as a committee bill, said Mokgalapa.
Sexwale's spokesman Xolani Xundu was not available for comment. - Sapa