The National Assembly Speaker, Thandi Modise, proposed during a virtual session of the National Assembly’s program committee on Thursday morning that the ad hoc committee on the amendment of Article 25 of the Constitution be reconstituted.
The mandate of the ad hoc committee, which has so far dealt with the issue of land expropriation without remuneration, expired on 31 May and Parliament did not renew it. This means that there is currently no committee that addresses the issue.
Modise sought advice on the legal position of the committee over the past week and the feedback was that the ad hoc committee should be reconstituted.
Furthermore, it appeared from the speaker’s consultation with political parties that there was no appetite to extend the process later than the end of the year. Modise therefore believes that the deadline for the completion of the process should be set more or less on November 30. This decision will be taken by the National Assembly when establishing the framework for the new ad hoc committee.
Two other important decisions by the program committee are that the budget will be finally accepted or rejected by an eight-hour session of the National Assembly on Friday, June 12. It is different this year than in other years because a whole new budget will serve before Parliament later this month, due to the influence of the coronavirus.
Finally, the program committee decided to pres. Cyril Ramaphosa will answer oral questions from MPs for three hours next Thursday.
