Hon Chairperson and hon members, on behalf of the Select Committee on Social Services - allow me to present one of the most important transformation bills that has been presented by the department to us and the name of the Bill is Property Practitioners'
Bill, whose purpose is to ensure transformation to the industry which is highly dominated by white business owners.
The property sector is worth over 7 trillion that includes both residential and commercial with only the 5% of previously disadvantaged people playing a role in the property sector. Hon Chairperson, Out of 2700 agencies and principals, only less than hundred that are owned by black people in the country. For example in the Northern Cape, hon Chairperson, during the year 2017/18 only one black business, in fact not even one black business owner is registered in that province, hence this Bill.
In my province, which is Mpumalanga only 6 of the black owners in the industry, therefore Chairperson, we are saying this is one of the most important bills; we have to thank the department and the members for participating in this bill. Hon Chairperson, I want to assure this House that we have done all to make sure that there's maximum participation. After advertising, we received for 18 public comments from organizations and individuals, and also after out of 9 provinces at the time of the committee sitting, we had 7 provinces which voted in favour, we later received the 2 outstanding final mandates which also supported the Bill.
Hon Chairperson, the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlement referred the bill to the Select Committee on Social Services on 4th of December 2018. On the 29th of January 2019, the Select Committee on Social Services received a briefing from the Department of Human Settlement, thereafter we advertised for public comments. Hon Chairperson, after considering the Bill as the committee and deliberated on the submissions made by the people, the committee wants to report that it has agreed to the Bill, which is the Property Practitioners Bill [B21B - 2018] being made into law
There are two areas of emphasis chair that we want to make as a committee, which is the speed of regulations to ensure that the Bill is implemented and also to ensure that the department relaxes the criteria for the entry of the previously disadvantaged people so that they are able to enter into this industry.
The Select Committee on Social Services supports this Bill because it is levelling the playing field to ensure that the Estate Agency Affairs Act, 1976 (Act No. 112 of 1976) is repealed.
Hon Chair, the Bill seeks to address a number of challenges facing the property practitioners sector and a key focus area is transformation and providing opportunities to previously disadvantaged people. We are
therefore hon Chair, calling upon all people in South Africa who want to participate in this industry.
The government which is led of course of course by the ANC, is opening opportunities for them to participate in, we therefore present the report for the House to consider. I thank you.
Declarations of vote:
IsiZulu: