Parliament, Friday, 20 July 2018 – The Joint Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) delegation led by Co-Chairman Mr Lewis Nzimande today listened to the people of Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal.

As with previous hearings this week, huge numbers of the community attended the hearings. Many had mixed feelings about the proposed amendment of section 25 of the Constitution, with some supporting the amendment that would allow the expropriation of land in the public interest without compensation, while others did not.

Today’s hearing saw political parties mobilise their members to attend. The crowd broke into song and dance when they did not understand a submission presented in Afrikaans and insisted on an interpretation. Mr Nzimande called for calm and tolerance, and asked the participants to allow every person to have their say.

He also said that participants must respect the opinions of others, while favourable or unfavourable comments from those attending the hearings about the views of others will not be tolerated. A public hearing is part of the democratic process of Parliament, which allows citizens to have their say in the law-making process, and this is what we are doing, said the Co-Chairman.

This delegation of the Constitutional Review Committee continues in Kokstad tomorrow and Mr Nzimande emphasised once more that this process must not be used for political gain and politicking.

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CO-CHAIRPERSON OF THE JOINT CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, MR LEWIS NZIMANDE.

For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:

Name: Sureshinee Govender (Ms)
Tel: 021 403 2239
Cell: 081 704 1109
E-mail: sugovender@parliament.gov.za