Parly's ad hoc committee on land expropriation fails to finish its work

Picture: African News Agency (ANA)

Picture: African News Agency (ANA)

Published May 7, 2020

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Cape Town - The ad hoc committee tasked to amend the Constitution to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation was unable to complete its work as its lifespan has lapsed. 

"We require a resolution to give a new date for the ad hoc committee to do the work," chair of chairs Cedric Frolick said on Thursday.

Frolick made the statement at the virtual meeting of the National Assembly’s programme committee when it was briefed about the work of the portfolio committees.

A presentation made at the meeting said the ad hoc committee had suspended its work when the state of disaster was announced in mid-March when it had conducted public hearings in six provinces.

At the time there were still public hearings scheduled for Limpopo, Western Cape and Northern Cape.

The MPs were told that the committee, which had a March 31 deadline, was given the go-ahead to continue with its work until the end of May.

They heard that there would be advertising of notices inviting the public to make submissions and that the committee would maximise use of technology to enhance public participation.

Freedom Front Plus' Corne Mulder noted that the process the ad hoc committee was busy with entailed direct interaction with the public in town hall meetings. 

"It is not interaction asking for written submissions. I am concerned that if you go ahead to advertise notices, that will be a waste of money.  It will be difficult to have those meetings with the public under the current circumstances," Mulder said.

IFP's Narend Singh said Frolick should rather meet with the co-chairpersons of the committee to check if their request for a month to complete their work was realistic.

"Our focus should be getting the budget done unless there is urgent legislation," Singh said.

Frolick said Parliament could not hold public meetings as they were prohibited under the national lockdown.

He stated that the public hearings would not proceed as planned, but they were looking at new ways depending on mechanisms provided within the state of disaster.

Political Bureau

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