** This story has been updated **
PARLIAMENT - Parliament on Wednesday confirmed that civic organisation AfriForum has filed papers in the high court in Cape Town attempting to interdict the national legislature from adopting a report recommending the Constitution be amended to explicitly provide for land expropriation without compensation.
In a statement, Parliament said it would be opposing application to have the report by the constitutional review committee (CRC) set aside.
"The inquiry which the Constitutional Review Committee undertook will be remembered as one of the most consultative, participatory processes of our democracy – outside of our regular non-racial elections," the statement said.
"The process which the committee has now completed is in keeping with the responsibilities which our Constitution demands of Parliament as the legislative authority of our republic."
The report still has to be tabled in both the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces for approval.
ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu said he supported Parliament's decision to oppose the AfriForum application, and noted that the group was also seeking an order to stop the tabling of the report to the two chambers.
Mthembu said AfriForum was "hell-bent on delaying and derailing Parliament from satisfying the quest of our people to get their land back".
He added: "The ANC fully supports Parliament’s decision to appoint senior counsel to challenge this interdict. We are certain that this court application will be defeated, in the same way their right-wing campaign which sought to prevent the adoption of the CRC report recommending a constitutional amendment was defeated in the committee through this parliamentary process."