“Critical but constructive.” That’s how the Parliamentary Communication Services on Thursday described the inputs given by Agri South Africa‚ South African Institute of Valuers and the South African Geomatics Institute at the Expropriation Bill hearings. The Portfolio Committee on Public Works said it “is encouraged by most of the oral submissions made on the Expropriation Bill thus far” after Wednesday‚ “the second day of public hearings”.It found Wednesday’s inputs “to be substantially useful in enhancing the current bill”.“The committee continues this process in order to ensure that the current Expropriation Bill meets constitutional muster‚” it said.On Thursday‚ Business Day reported that the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has backed the controversial Expropriation Bill but said courts do not have the capacity to conduct property valuations.The role of courts in the expropriation process and the state’s capacity to establish property values before expropriation came under scrutiny on Wednesday‚ the second day of public hearings on the draft law.If passed‚ the bill will allow the executive to expropriate land for public use or interest‚ and sets guidelines for compensation and for dispute settlement measures.Cosatu parliamentary representative Matthew Parks said the federation participated extensively in the National Economic Development and Labour Council process on the bill.The proposed law was in line with the Constitution‚ as most countries had some kind of expropriation law‚ he said."We support this bill as an important tool for a progressive state. We have yet to see any evidence to say that a single job could be lost as a result of this bill."The committee will resume public hearings on the bill on August 4...