Parliament, Thursday, 25 March 2021 – The Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure today concluded the first round of oral submissions. Over the past two days, the committee has received 19 oral submissions on the Expropriation Bill from organisations and interested individuals.
The committee received oral submissions from Mr Thato Sekgoele, Mr Trevor Kamoto, Mr Brian Musto, Ms Pretty Olifant, Mr Cameron Dugmore and Mr Faiez Jacobs. The committee also received submissions from Free State Agriculture, AfriForum, AgriSA, Sakeliga, Banking Association of South Africa, Congress of the Traditional Leaders of South Africa, South African Institute for Race Relations, Transvaal Landbou Unie, Congress of South African Trade Unions, Business Unity South Africa, Agriculture Business Chamber, National House of Traditional Leaders, Minerals Council, and African National Congress Women’s League.
The committee has followed the rules of Parliament and section 59 of the Constitution since 14 October 2020, when this bill was referred to it. Section 59 stipulates that committees must facilitate public involvement in the legislative process and must conduct its business in an open manner.
The committee has endeavoured to provide a reasonable opportunity for everyone to participate effectively in the legislative process and it remains committed to do its business in an open and reasonable manner. The committee’s support team is unwavering in its efforts to process each of the 129 127 written submissions that were received during phase one of the public’s input on the bill.
The Chairperson of the committee, Ms Nolitha Ntobongwana, has emphasised that the committee is working through these written submissions and plans to complete the process by 13 April 2021. This first round of oral submissions was scheduled as per the Expropriation Bill project timeline and the committee’s term plan that was signed off by the House Chairperson of Committees.
There was no intention for the committee to conduct oral submissions in the same week as the public hearings on the Ad Hoc Committee to Initiate and Introduce Legislation amending Section 25 of Constitution. This was an unfortunate incident that should be avoided at all cost, as it might have led to unnecessary confusion, which could have curtailed the participation of interested participants.
It must be kept in mind that the Expropriation Bill project timeline indicates that, to ensure coordination, it will dovetail in completion with the work of the Ad Hoc Committee to Initiate and Introduce Legislation amending Section 25 of Constitution. It must also be kept in mind that after these two days of oral submissions, the committee will continue along its project timeline and will visit regions in each province to listen to the wider public input.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, MS NOLITHA NTOBONGWANA.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Faith Ndenze
Parliamentary Communication Services
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E-mail: fndenze@parliament.gov.za
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