The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (National Assembly) on Friday was briefed by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development on the Upgrading of Land Tenure Rights Amendment (ULTRA) Bill [B6-2020].
The ULTRA Bill seeks to address the unfair discrimination of women based on their gender to their right of tenure as found in the case of the Rahube matter, where the deed of grant was tested as it applied to only males. In the Rahube matter it was an automatic transfer to the male.
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development must study the clauses and provisions in the principal Act that may render the legislation unconstitutional, and furthermore, the department must also look at other Bills and Acts such as the Communal Land Rights Act and others, which will affect the ULTRA Bill, and devise a comprehensive legislative framework to engage with the Bill.
Notwithstanding this, the committee notes the Constitutional Court ruling to have the Bill finalised by April 2021, and therefore will proceed to provide the public with opportunities for submitting their views on the Bill in writing and other means amidst the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure that public participation is sought on the ULTRA Bill.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LAND REFORM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT, NKOSI ZWELIVELILE MANDELA.