Parliament, Tuesday, 4 September 2018 – The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements is of the view that the inputs made by stakeholders today are invaluable and will enhance the Property Practitioners Bill. The committee engaged with stakeholders to get their input on the proposed Bill as part of the public participation model that Parliament has adopted.
“The transformation of the property sector, like all sectors of South African society, is due for a transformative push. The committee welcomes the informative engagements that were held today and will take the inputs into consideration when it processes the Bill,” said Ms Nocawe Mafu, the Chairperson of the committee.
The committee considers it concerning that in this day and age and for a sector that contributes in access of 15% into the country’s Gross Domestic Product, is not adequately transformed.
At the centre of the engagements is the need to remove impediments for the entry and sustainability of the previously disadvantaged property businesses. “South Africa has a long history of constructive engagements aimed at finding workable solutions and the committee is convinced that today’s engagements were constructive and while sometimes uncomfortable questions were asked, it was in the context of coming up with a legislation that will assist the country in transforming the industry,” Ms Mafu emphasised.
The committee welcomes the fact that there is universal agreement that the Bill is necessary for the transformation of the sector. The committee has gleaned out issues that have arisen that require further consideration by the committee and the department.
Those issues include; the requirement for practitioners to have trust funds, the cost associated with audit processes, duplication of membership across bodies that regulate the industry as well as structural training and the role of the transformation fund in advancing the transformation of the sector.
The committee will undertake an extensive programme of public consultations to garner input in efforts to strengthen the Bill.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, MS NOCAWE MAFU.
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