Ad Hoc Committee on Section 25 will stick to mandate on land given by National Assembly

13 November 2019

The Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee to Initiate and Introduce Legislation Amending Section 25 of the Constitution resolved to keep within the mandate given to it by the National Assembly and focus on the expropriation of land without compensation.

Committee Chairperson Dr Mathole Motshekga said that therefore, at this stage, the committee will not focus on property, as it is not included in the committee’s mandate. It further does not include the custodianship of land.

The mandate of the committee is to initiate and introduce legislation amending section 25 of the Constitution and to have regard for the work done and recommendations contained in the reports of the Constitutional Review Committee and the previous Ad Hoc Committee on Amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution in the previous Parliament.

Dr Motshekga said it is important for the committee to instruct legal services to start the drafting of a Bill on this matter. “After this, the committee will receive inputs and those inputs will affect the various drafts of the Bill as we move forward.”

Dr Motshekga further said it is important to hear all voices on this debate. “We should talk to all stakeholders before we come to final determinations on contentious issues. We should also afford all political parties, however small, an opportunity to make inputs and also make room for participation by all stakeholders to ensure that the final product is co-owned by the people of South Africa as a whole.”

The committee resolved that political parties be given until Friday to make further submissions, if any, on the themes of the constitutional dialogue on land ownership, which was held last week. The committee is expected to complete its work by 31 March 2020.

Issued by Rajaa Azzakani, Media Officer, Parliamentary Communication Services, 13 November 2019