Land act aims at restitution
2003-10-01 08:38
Cape Town - If accepted by the national assembly, the new land claim act will focus mainly on the restitution process.
The national council of provinces' elected committee on Tuesday submitted three additional amendments to the restitution of land rights act.
The much-discussed draft makes official provision for land seizures, so as to speed up the settlement of land claims.
The constitution already provides for such seizures.
President Thabo Mbeki said earlier this year that all land claims have to be settled by 2005.
The draft has been through the national assembly, but with the amendments it will have to be resubmitted.
On Tuesday, the committee accepted the amendments, which will allow for general land redistribution.
Reacting to the acceptance of the draft bill, Adriaan van Niekerk, the NNP representative in the Northern Cape, said constitutional land rights were intact and safe. He said his party helped with the draft bill so as to make it more acceptable to everyone.
He said landowners would be asked to make sure the restitution process was handled constructively.