First committee meeting to amend Section 25 of Constitution flops

The sixth parliament’s process to amend Section 25 of the Constitution to allow expropriation without compensation has got off to a false start.

On Wednesday at 13.00pm, the ad hoc committee tasked with this amendment was to have its first meeting since the sixth parliament was established in May.

At first, the committee room was used by another committee. After a few minutes, this committee cleared off and a few members of the ad hoc committee entered.

By 13.40pm, the meeting had not begun as there were not enough MPs to form a quorum. Frustrated by the delay, DA MPs Glynnis Breytenbach and Annelie Lotriet, and FF Plus MP Corné Mulder left.

Shortly after, the committee secretary said it did not have a quorum to go ahead with the meeting.

ANC MP Regina Lesoma proposed the meeting should be postponed to a later date, when a chairperson would be elected.

This was agreed to and the date on which the committee will meet will be communicated later.

The ANC had earlier indicated Mathole Motshekga was its candidate to chair the ad hoc committee. He was one of the MPs present.

While expropriation without compensation is one of the EFF’s cardinal pillars, no EFF MP was at the meeting.

Last year, parliament approved a motion that the Constitution should be amended to allow expropriation without compensation after a vast, controversial public participation process.

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