Didiza leads committee to redraft section 25

National Assembly chair Thoko Didiza was elected to chair the parliamentary ad hoc committee tasked with redrafting section 25 of the constitution, or the property clause.

The committee met for the first time yesterday to elect a chair and consider its programme. In December, the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces adopted a contentious report that called for a constitutional amendment to make it explicit that expropriation without compensation could be used to address skewed land ownership patterns dating back to colonial and apartheid eras. The ad hoc committee consists of 11 voting members of the National Assembly and will be made up of six members from the ANC, two from the DA, one from the EFF and two from other parties. The committee will also consist of 14 nonvoting members of the National Assembly – two from the ANC, one from the DA, one from the EFF and 10 from other parties.

The debate on the issue has polarised SA and spooked investors, with the proposed amendment set to be challenged in court by various stakeholders and opposition political parties.

The matter could eventually be processed by the next parliament after the elections, which will take place in May. This means the amendment might not happen at all if the ANC and EFF fail to secure a two-thirds majority between them. ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu congratulated Didiza on her election. She served as land affairs minister under Thabo Mbeki between 1999 and 2006. “The resolution of the land question forms part of the founding principles of the ANC,” said Mthembu. “In essence, it is the ultimate expression of transformation and restitution. With this in mind, we wish the committee well as they embark on this historic process.”