Bill will speed land reform
2003-09-18 12:07
Johannesburg - The national assembly
has passed into law the Land Rights Amendment Bill aimed at speeding up the
restitution process in the country, state news agency BuaNews said in a
statement on Thursday.
The Bill will now be presented to the National Council of Provinces
(NCOP)
for concurrence.
The Bill allows the Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs Thoko
Didiza
to purchase, acquire in any other manner or expropriate land for purposes of
restoration.
Presenting the Bill in the national assembly, deputy land affairs
minister
Dirk du Toit said before land could be expropriated, the minister would have
to
give adequate notice of her intention.
"The minister must give a reasonable opportunity before the affected to
make representations," he added.
In terms of the Land Restitution Amendment Bill expropriated land will
be
compensated fairly, based the on market value of the land.
The landowners will also have recourse through the courts if they are
unhappy with the amount received as compensation.
Chairperson of parliament's portfolio committee on agriculture and land
affairs Neo Masithela concurred that the aim of the Bill was to fast track
land
reform.
"It is also to deal with a huge backlog of land claims," he said.
The Commission on Restitution of Land Rights reported recently that
36 489
land claims had been settled from 1995 to 31 March 2003.
"The budget of land reform needs to be increased so that the department
and
the commission could carry the responsibility given by this government to
make
land accessible to our people," he said.