NATIONAL NEWS - The Joint Constitutional Review Committee has extended the deadline for written submissions on land expropriation without compensation to 15 June.
The committee further resolved to conduct its public hearings from 26 June to 6 August in all provinces around the country.
Provinces with a larger rural area will have four days set aside for the hearings while other provinces will have three days of public hearings.
Co-chair of the committee, Lewis Nzimande, said at least one of these days will be over a weekend to allow the working public also an opportunity to participate in the process.
The later date for public hearings will allow members of the National Council of Provinces to complete their work regarding the budget votes, another co-chair Vincent Smith said.
So far the committee has received more than 100 000 written submissions.
The bulk of this, around 64 000, came as a result of a single WhatsApp group that was created by a group to clog the system. A further 1 100, so far, came from AfriForum.
Colloquium planned
Prior to going to the provinces to listen to the public, the committee plans on having a colloquium with, among others, academics, researchers, stakeholders, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders, the South African Local Government Association and government departments so that Members of Parliament can get a better understanding of what they will be dealing with.
According to the committee programme, 7 August to 17 August have been set aside for oral submissions to be held in Parliament.
Deliberation on the inputs is set to occur between 4 and 7 September with the adoption of the report expected on 11 September, where it will make a recommendation to the National Assembly.
The National Assembly in February adopted a motion for a constitutional review, allowing for the expropriation of land without compensation and referred the matter to a joint constitutional review committee to review section 25 of the Constitution and other clauses, if necessary, to make it possible for the state to expropriate land in the public interest without compensation.
The committee has 24 members, made up of National Assembly and National Council of Provinces (NCOP) members.
15 June
The latest closing date for written submissions and requests for oral presentation is Friday, 15 June.
Enquiries and written submissions can be addressed to Ms Pat Jayiya (Committee Section, PO Box 15, Cape Town 8000, email pjayiya@parliament.gov.za, tel 021 403 3661, fax 086 465 0678, cell 081 441 0345).
Hand delivered submissions can be submitted at W/S 091, 3rd Floor, 90 Plein Street, Cape Town.
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