Public’s input on land reform to start in April

Despite being heavily contested by minority interest groups and political parties, the process to review Section 25 of the constitution to allow expropriation of land without compensation has taken another leap forward.

The joint constitutional review committee in parliament yesterday announced that the public participation process in this regard would begin next month.

The committee would publish advertisements for oral and written submissions from the public, who will have a month to respond. Thereafter, three to four districts or local municipality per province will be visited for public hearings.

“The committee plans to split into two groups for the public hearings in order to cover a larger part of the country,” the committee said.

“The public hearings are expected to commence on May 8, 2018 in Limpopo and the Northern Cape, and is expected to be concluded on June 22, 2018 in the Western Cape.”

Last month, parliament adopted a resolution on a motion initiated by the EFF to review Section 25 of the constitution – and other clauses where necessary – to make it possible for the state to expropriate land in the public interest without compensation, and propose the necessary constitutional amendments.

The committee was acting on instruction by the National Assembly (NA) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

It will investigate what mechanisms South Africans would like to see for the implementation of land reform, and has until August 30, 2018, to report to the NA and the NCOP.