Land Bill may miss 2019 poll

THE ANC in Parliament has warned that it may not finalise the bill on the expropriation of land without compensation before next year’s elections.

ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu said yesterday that while the party had set a deadline for the end of March, this target was too ambitious for Parliament.

He pointed out that the passing of legislation required plenty of time.

Mthembu, however, said now that Parliament had adopted the report on the expropriation of land, the ANC would be moving to the next phase of crafting a bill.

If it is not concluded by March next year, the ad hoc committee can table a progress report in Parliament.

“Even if we were to conclude it on March 31 it must still go to the National Council of Provinces and it must engage in the same process, establish an ad hoc committee, consult, gazette and hold public hearings.

“I don’t see this process concluded before the rise of this Parliament,” said Mthembu.

He said the ad hoc committee would clarify in the bill what would be amended in the Constitution.

Mthembu also highlighted that, in the ad hoc committee’s first meeting, they would propose that house chairperson Thoko Didiza be appointed chairperson.

Other members of the ad hoc committee are Vincent Smith, acting co-chairperson of the Constitutional Review Committee Stan Maila, chairperson of the portfolio committee on rural development and land reform Phumzile Ngwenya-mabila and chairperson of the portfolio committee on agriculture, forestry and fisheries Rosina Semenya.

Despite the ANC pushing through the bill, opposition parties have warned that they will take Parliament to court on the process followed.

The parties said the process did not meet the requirements of dealing with written submissions.