The Lifespan of the Ad Hoc Committee looking at the amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution to Expropriate Land without Compensation has been extended by another two weeks.
The Ad Hoc Committee was expected to conclude its work and report back to the National Assembly on Monday 30th August. It met on Thursday to decided on its request for an extension.
It was informed that the National Assembly Programme Committee already granted a two weeks extension when it met on Thursday morning.
The decision to request an extension comes as members have to seek mandates from their political parties on the third draft Constitution 18th Amendment Bill.
The draft was prepared by Parliament’s legal services following the outcome of the recent re-publication of another draft for public comment.
Ad Hoc Committee Chairperson Mathole Motshekga says parties will be given a chance to make inputs based on their mandates.
“By the end of business on Monday all political parties would have consulted their principals and then on Tuesday we have a meeting where parties will make inputs based on their mandates and therefore we will be able to take decisions on the draft bill that is before us whether or not we are going to entertain new substantive clauses or not. But from me as the Chair, I just want to place it on record that if we are not going to attend these matters, we will be committing suicide ourselves because we will actually be saying what the people are saying does not matter.”
Discussion on amendments to Section 25 of the Constitution with Mathews Phosa:
