Parliament, Thursday, 26 August 2021 – The Ad Hoc Committee to Initiate and Introduce Legislation Amending Section 25 of the Constitution was today informed that the National Assembly (NA) has given it a further two weeks to complete its work.
Committee Chairperson Dr Mathole Motshekga said the committee was expected to finalise its work on Monday, 30 August 2021, but due to a subsequent call for public input, it would not be in a position to do so. The committee has been deliberating on the Constitution 18th Amendment Bill. A third version of the Bill has now been provided to members. “The decision to extend our lifespan by two weeks was taken by the Programming Committee of the NA [National Assembly] without the committee having requested it. We are grateful for the extra time to finalise our work.”
The purpose of the Bill is to amend section 25 of the Constitution so as to provide that where land is expropriated for land reform, the amount of compensation payable may be nil. Further, to clarify that nil compensation is a legitimate option for land reform, so as to address the historic wrongs caused by the arbitrary dispossession of land, and in so doing ensure equitable access to land and further empower the majority of South Africans to be productive participants in ownership, food security and agricultural reform programmes.
The committee now has until 10 September 2021 to complete its work. It will meet tomorrow to receive a briefing on the report of the most recent public participation process and on the third version of the Bill.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO INITIATE AND INTRODUCE LEGISLATION AMENDING SECTION 25 OF THE CONSTITUTION, DR MATHOLE MOTSHEKGA.
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Rajaa Azzakani (Ms)
Tel: 021 403 8437
Cell: 081 703 9542
E-mail: razzakani@parliament.gov.za
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