The National Assembly has voted to re-establish an ad-hoc committee to amend Section 25 of the Constitution to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation.

A similar committee was set up in the fifth parliament shortly before the elections but was not able to sit.

The new committee will be made up of six voting African National Congress (ANC) members, two from the Democratic Alliance (DA), one from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and one representing all the other parties. It will have 14 non-voting members. It has to report by the 31st of March next year.

ANC MP Mathole Motshekga says the committee will work to ensure that the country can resolve the land issue in a peaceful manner and not through land invasions.

“The Constitution of this country provides for representative and participatory democracy which will empower all South Africans working together to resolve in a peaceful manner and not through land invasions. All patriots and peace-loving South Africans know that restitution of the land to its rightful owners is a prerequisite for the realization of human and peoples rights.”

(Source: SABC News)