Gauteng residents will this week cast their voice on the proposed amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution.
The ad hoc committee on amending section 25 of the constitution has been crisscrossing the country in the endeavour to gather public sentiment to the proposed amendment.
Palpable in the mood of the hearings are centralised traditional views of majority versus minority. The former seeks no further delay while the latter preserves property rights.
“We live in a country where historically, many groups have arbitrarily taken land from other groups, and it will be extremely naïve to think that this law will not be used against other groups at some stage” said Adela Slate a resident of Winterton in KZN.
Slate was reminded how after World War II First World countries expropriated land without compensation from peasants to advance their economies. The Ad Committee also heard the call for the addition to subsection 25 (2) which speaks to the terms of law of generational application.
“This section should be revised to allow the Executive Authority and not the courts to decide or approve. The courts should be a last resort” said Vusumuzi Mazibuko from Vryheid.
In North West Schweizer Reneke, some participants found the public hearings unnecessary even to debate as the land was forcefully taken from its rightful owners. Residents wanted to know when was Parliament going to start with the process.
Stemming from these public hearings, it was clear that a strong agriculture leadership was needed to steer the conversation in its rightful path. The land debate was unanimously creating confusion in society with agriculture leaders fanning the flame of the fires.
“People want to own and work the land while others want to be compensated. Let’s balance it there” said a farmer from Kokstad.
Dates of Parliament Ad Hoc Committee on Land in Gauteng:
12 March, 14h00
Pretoria, Venue to be confirmed
13 March, 14h00
Westonaria, Westonaria Banquet Hall,
15 March, 11h00
Vereeniging, Venue to be confirmed
