31/12/2019
Dear SOUTH AFRICA
be more than a spectator, be
Dear South Africans
MEDIA RELEASE 30 December 2019 - FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
88% of South Africans Oppose Constitution Amendment Bill, so far
With only one month remaining for the public to have their say, an interim report from the non-profit organisation Dear South Africa reveals the public at large rejects a proposed amendment to the constitution catering for expropriation without compensation.
Several organisations have launched petitions in opposition to the amendment. However, Dear South Africa, a registered non-profit, has provided a direct government interface which enables the public to have a say in favour of or opposition to the bill. The internet platform further displays a live feed of public comments and a daily summary of results.
"Of the almost 60,000 entries we've processed, 88% are opposed to the amendment while 8% are in favour and 4% are not fully supportive", says Rob Hutchinson, MD of DearSA.
The Parliamentary AdHoc Committee on Amending the Constitution opened the first call for comment to produce a report for parliament in June 2018, a process which resulted in over 700,000 South Africans voicing their opinion. In December 2019, a final call for comment on the new Draft Amendment Bill was published and requires significantly higher participation from South Africans before 31 January 2020.
"This is not a one-sided petition", says Hutchinson, who goes on to state that government treats petitions as a single submission, no matter how many signatories. "Our official system ensures that each public comment is individually delivered, registered, acknowledged and considered in parliament's decision-making process."
Along with immediately delivering your comment to government, DearSA's system keeps an accurate record of all participation and enables the organisation to present a final report directly to parliament. This process ensures that civil society holds a precise unbiased, publically available live record of all input.
Whether in favour of or opposed to an amendment of the Constitution of South Africa, to create effective impact, the public must have a say through an official unbiased platform, not only a petition.
Have your say on the Constitution Amendment by using DearSA's platform before 31 January at this link; https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/constitution-eighteenth-amendment-bill/
DearSA has also provided all the Parliamentary Committee meeting notes, documents, audio recordings and minutes at the link above.
ENDS..
Media enquiries;
Rob Hutchinson, DearSA
[email protected]
0845574828
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Constitution Amendment Bill
DearSA processed over 330,000 comments in the first round - in this new final round public comment must reach over one million. Please add your comment now in your preferred language.
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Have your say. This Bill aims to amend the Constitution of South Africa, by providing for the expropriation of land without the payment of compensation.
