Cabinet Says On Track With Changes To Laws Governing Land Expropriation

CAPE TOWN – Cabinet on Tuesday said it was on track to change the laws governing land expropriation.

An ad hoc parliamentary committee was established earlier this year to examine ways to change the Constitution to allow for expropriation of land without compensation.

In a parallel process, the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture came up with 73 recommendations on how to proceed. Cabinet accepted 60 of those and said the panel needed to do some more work on the remainder and find consensus.

Land expropriation and restitution was one of the biggest election promises made by political parties. The governing African National Congress was just a few steps away from fulfilling this promise.

Cabinet endorsed and supported 60 of the recommendations made by the panel.

Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu said some recommendations needed work.

“Cabinet had since endorsed and supported 60 of the 73 recommendations from the report. Only nine were not approved and three were noted,” Mthembu said.

The committee, led by Deputy President David Mabuza, had been working since July this year.

Mthembu said some departments still needed to provide input on the matter.

EWN