Expropriation Act signed into law. [Picture: via Farmer’s Weekly]
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s partners in his coalition government are preparing to take legal action after he signed the contentious Expropriation Act into law. The Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+) say it undermines property rights.
The DA is the African National Congress’s (ANC) biggest partner in its so-called government of national unity (GNU). It holds 87 seats in the National Assembly. The FF+ is a minor partner, with just six seats.
The law allows property to be expropriated without compensation in instances where it is deemed to be in the public interest. Its vagueness and potential for abuse led both DA and FF+ to oppose the bill in the previous Parliament.
Unused land, state-owned land, abandoned land and property that poses a safety or health risk all stand to be expropriated under the Act.
While Dean Macpherson, minister of public works and infrastructure, told News24 he would guard against abuse, his party, the DA, on Thursday said it was “in discussions with our legal team to formulate our case”.
AfriForum and ActionSA have also indicated intention to challenge the Expropriation Act in court.
Earlier this week, Ramaphosa sought to woo investors at the World Economic Forum (WEF) gathering in Davos, Switzerland. But critics argue government policies continue to discourage investors.
