Public will have longer to comment on land expropriation

THE PUBLIC has been given a two-week extension – until June 15 – to give written comment on proposed amendments to South Africa’s constitution which would enable land expropriation without compensation.

Yesterday, the constitutional review committee heard that the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF), Organisation Against Tax Abuse (Outa) and others asked for the May 30 deadline to be extended.

Committee co-chairman Vincent Smith said 64 000 submissions were received via WhatsApp with 1 100 coming from AfriForum.

“Clearly some are from the same WhatsApp group trying to clog the system. There are 30 to 40 000 that are genuine,” Smith said.

The ANC’s Loyiso Mpumlwana said that the request should be declined as there were already thousands of submissions.

“People who can’t submit until the end of May can go to public hearings,” Mpumlwana said.

Extension

The ACDP’s Steve Swart said the request for extension should be granted.

“We have letters asking for an extension. It does not delay our process in any way,” Swart said.

The ANC’s Dumisani Ximbi said an extension would open a can of worms.

“We need to move forward. I don’t think we need to allow for extension,” he said.

Smith said that although sufficient time was given to South Africans to make submissions within 45 days, two more weeks should be added.

“After June 17 that is the end of submissions, otherwise our own work will be sabotaged,” Smith said.

“I think we will be able to defend that,” he added.

The committee also decided to request Parliament to submit its report two weeks after the deadline.

This was due to MPs having to delay their work to allow members from the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to finalise approval of budgets.

“Instead of starting at the end of May, we start on June 26 so that NCOP is afforded an opportunity to conclude the budget approval,” Smith said.