Economic analyst Doctor Azar Jammine says the land debate could make the economy lose foreign investment.

CAPE TOWN - Political analysts and economists believe the contentious land debate will have a negative effect on the country's upcoming national elections.

Political analyst Sipho Seepe believes the African National Congress (ANC) is being disingenuous even in its attempts to amend the Constitution.

He says the governing party is not doing as much as it could to expropriate land without compensation.

“Most members of the ANC, especially the current leadership, do not buy into land expropriation without compensation because they are convinced that that can be pursuit without changing the Constitution.”

At the same time, economic analyst Doctor Azar Jammine says the land debate could make the economy lose foreign investment.

“The impact of the whole debate about the land expropriation without compensation is a very tricky one and it’s not quite clear what the impact is going to be on the forthcoming elections next year.”

Meanwhile, Parliament's constitutional review committee has begun to map out its programme for South Africans to have their say on whether the Constitution should be amended to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation.

This follows the resolution that was backed by the majority of parties in the National Assembly in February.

The committee has until 30 August to report back to the National Assembly on whether the property clause in the Constitution should be amended.

It’s agreed that public hearings will be held in all nine provinces to get as many people’s views as possible.

Additional reporting by Gaye Davis.

(Edited by Winnie Theletsane)