Panel supports SA land expropriation plans

A panel of South African lawmakers resolved that the constitution needs to be changed to make it easier to seize land without paying for it, the latest twist in a divisive debate over how to address racially skewed ownership patterns dating back to apartheid and colonial rule.

The ANC used its majority in Parliament’s Joint Constitutional Review Committee to force through the adoption of a report Thursday that recommends that the wording of section 25 of the constitution be changed to explicitly allow for expropriation without compensation. The decision was backed by the populist Economic Freedom Fighters, the third-largest party, and the United Democratic Movement.

The Democratic Alliance, the main opposition, and several other smaller parties complained that the panel didn’t follow proper procedure because it largely ignored more that 400,000 written submissions from the public on the issue.

While the National Assembly’s approval of the report is seen as a formality, it is likely to be challenged in court. The South African Institute of Race Relations, a Johannesburg-based research institution, on Wednesday said it has briefed its lawyers about the procedural flaws with a view to seeking a judicial review of the parliamentary process.

If the process isn’t derailed by lawsuits, another lawmakers’ panel will draw up revised constitutional provisions that deal with property rights, which could take several months.

� L.P