Land expropriation law change ‘won’t happen before elections’

At a media briefing later in the afternoon, ANC MP Vincent Smith said they would change the wording before presenting it to a full sitting of the National Assembly because it would be impossible to pass the amendment before next year’s election or the dissolution of the current parliament.

“We will tighten up the wording to say exactly what we mean. Maybe the wording was not proper English, but the intention is for that body, whether it’s for the justice committee or the ad hoc committee, to be given a mandate.

“What’s very clear is that there will be no voting on the actual constitutional amendments before the elections,” said Smith.

At the same time, several opposition parties — such as the DA, COPE, Freedom Front Plus and the ACDP — have threatened to challenge the matter in court, citing procedural flaws.

“They are really grasping at straws when they say there was bullying and intimidation during the public hearings … it’s an attempt to discredit the process and we must reject that,” said Smith.

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