The public has been invited to comment on the final report of the Presidential Expert Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture. On Sunday, the panel presented its final report on land reform at a media briefing in Pretoria earlier on Sunday.
Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Minister Thoko Didiza says the report will be published for public consumption.
“ Cabinet has noted the report of the panel and referred it to the department for analysis and identification of action plans that they will present to the IMC and then to cabinet for adoption and execution. Cabinet has decided to publish the report of the panel for public consumption.”
The report contains a number of recommendations including the amendment of the constitution to allow for land expropriation without compensation in some circumstances. It also recommends the reconfiguration of the land claims court to a land court which will enable it to deal with land issues on a wider scale.
The Presidential Expert Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture says deadlines for the implementation of its recommendations should be strictly adhered to.
The panel’s chairperson, Dr Vuyo Mahlati, says some recommendations can be implemented immediately, while a new white paper on land reform should be completed by 2021.
Mahlati has also called on the government to settle old and legitimate land claims as soon as possible.
“ The recommendations deal with immediate recommendations, where we believe as soon as we leave today the department can address some of the issues without delving into serious legislative processes which take time but we specifically gave the white paper process deadline of by 2021. We should have it because we recognise that some of the proposals that we’re putting forward are going to require a process.”
