Land expropriation: What to expect from the review committee this week
The Joint Constitutional Review Committee is busy conducting another round of oral presentations.
CRC Photo via Youtube screenshot, Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
The Joint Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) is accepting oral presentations on the issue of amending section 25 of the Constitution to allow for land expropriation without compensation.
Prominent stakeholders were invited to Parliament's Old Assembly Chamber to voice their concerns and views on the topic of land expropriation without compensation.
This submissions process is set to continue until Friday and forms part of the Committee's broader parliamentary mandate regarding public interest.
This executive sitting follows on from the public hearings which were conducted in municipalities across the country, ending in the Western Cape in August. The contentious issue of written submissions has been hotly debated by the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Vincent Smith, co-chairperson of the committee, earlier confirmed that his organisation had already reviewed 149 000 out of 700 000 written submissions – with 59% of the votes counted opposing a constitutional amendment.
What is the Constitutional Review Committee up to?
The CRC is tasked with investigating public interest relating to the expropriation of land without compensation, and more specifically, the proposed amendment to the Constitution of South Africa.
Smith confirmed that these hearings were sanctioned by the Committee following a preliminary report on the findings o written submissions, saying:
"This round of public hearings emanates from the written submissions from South Africans received by the deadline of 15 June 2018. The hearings will take place from 4 to 7 September 2018 at Parliament.
These are organisations or individuals who had indicated they would like to make oral submissions at Parliament and have thus far confirmed their availability during the given period."
Who is making oral submissions to the Constitutional Review Committee?
Speaking to News24, CRC co-chairperson, Lewis Nzimande, confirmed that submissions would be made by members of the agricultural sector, academics, civil society organisations and the religious sector:
"This is a broad spectrum of participants and is indicative of the interest across the board in the subject matter. We are pleased with the interest shown by all South Africans."
Among the 30 speakers expected to voice their opinions on the issue of land expropriation, are political antagonists, Black First Land First (BLF), along with members from the all-white Afrikaner settlement, Orania.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Afrikanerbond, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), and the Indigenous First Nation Advocacy South Africa (IFNASA) are also expected to make their voices heard.
Tags: ConstitutionLand expropriationland reform