South Africa: Parliament approves controversial land bill

The controversial Communal Land Rights Bill was passed unanimously by parliament's committee on land, but gender and land rights activists have vowed to step up their fight against it. Preparation of constitutional challenges to the Bill's provisions on Tuesday shifted into top gear, after the committee adopted the Bill, which gives traditional leaders more power than ever in communal areas, including the allocation of individual land transfers. The adoption confirmed fears expressed last week by activists that the Bill would be bulldozed through parliament as an election sop to chiefs.