Parliament, Wednesday, 6 June 2018 – The Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform today received a briefing from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform on issues raised by community and other stakeholders at public hearings on the Communal Property Associations Amendment Bill in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the Northern Cape.
Parliament’s portfolio committees are mandated to conduct oversight on departments and to pass legislation. As part of these mandates, public hearings form part of the consultation process and to increase public participation. Public hearings more importantly provide an opportunity for persons/communities who are affected by a bill to be heard by parliamentarians.
The committee expressed its dissatisfaction with the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform for submitting late and incomplete reports to the committee, on the day that a committee meeting is held. In order for the committee to apply its mind to find solutions to the challenges that Communal Property Associations face, it needs time to go through each issue raised, which could not be done today.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform, Ms Phumuzile Ngwenya-Mabila, urged the department to come up with a plan with dates when specific issues raised by the public will be dealt with.
The committee also received a report on the reassignment of the Spatial Planning Land Use Management Act (Spluma). The Department reported that the reassignment has been put on hold until further notice. The Chairperson reiterated that Spluma still resides with the department and that the department must at any time be able to submit reports on its implementation.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM, MS PHUMUZILE NGWENYA-MABILA.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Sureshinee Govender
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 2289
Cell: 081 704 1109
E-mail: sugovender@parliament.gov.za
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