[UPDATED] Helen Suzman Foundation weighs in on land expropriation Bill
The deadline for public submissions on this BIll was initially set for Friday at 4pm. However, it has subsequently been extended until the end of February.
The Helen Suzman Foundation has weighed in on the debate around the expropriation of land without compensation and says it has submitted its view on the draft Bill to amend Section 25 of the Constitution.
The deadline for public submissions on this BIll was initially set for Friday at 4pm. However, it has subsequently been extended until the end of February.
The Foundation's Anton van Dalsen says the Foundation has made a weighty submission opposing the amendment of the Constitution.
According to Van Dalsen, those who feel strongly about either land issues or their civic duties to have their say on the issue.
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"Section 25 of the Constitution already makes provision for the expropriation without compensation,- it is confirmed by the preamble of the Bill, which states what is implicit now needs to be made explicit," says Van Dalsen.
He adds that the Foundation is concerned about the existing inability of the state to implement current land reform measures and that6 the Section 25 process is not based on a legislative need for reform.
"It is the obvious result of political pressure and the perceived need from government to show that it is doing something in this field," he says.
Listen to Van Dalen below:
According to Van Dalsen, the Foundation is also concerned that the Bill does not address expropriation of land in urban areas, something it believes it should.
"No one has focussed on what a land reform process actually entails," he adds.
"The current government departments that deal with land reform are incompetent and cannot deal with something like this," he says, adding that the Foundation has a number of key questions about the way forward.
Listen below as Van Dalsen explains: