South Africa President Cyril Ramafuza signed a bill that allows the government to seize lands without having to pay compensation, which some in the government say is a threat to private property.
The government says that the law, which replaces the law of confiscation, which was issued before democracy in 1975, “determines how confiscation can take place and on any basis” by the state.
The Ramafuza Party, the African National Congress, praised the law and described it as an “important teacher.” However, some members of the government indicated that they would challenge the legitimacy of the law.
Cyril Ramavusa, President of South Africa, gives a speech during a plenary session in the Congress Hall during the fifty -fifth annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2025. (Michael Pohlser/Keston via AP)
Black citizens who make up the majority in the country have only a small part of agricultural land after more than 30 years have passed since the end of the apartheid system. According to the news report, most landowners are part of the white minority.
The new law allows the confiscation of lands without compensation except in the circumstances in which this is “fair and fair and serves the public interest.”
This includes not using the property and there is no intention to develop it or if it is a threat to public safety.
“Under this law, the confiscation authority may not arbitrarily confiscate property or for a purpose other than the public purpose or public interest,” Vincent Maguena, a spokesman for the president, said in a press statement.
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Mount Tabel in Cape Town, South Africa, in July 2023 (Khabisu Makhabila/ Xinhua via Getti Imaguz)
He added: “It is not permissible to practice expropriation unless the confiscation authority tries to no avail to reach an agreement with the owner or the right holder of the property to obtain reasonable conditions.”
The Democratic Alliance, the second largest party in the government, said that it “strongly opposes” the law and consultations with its lawyer.
She says that although it supports the legislation that deals with the return of lands, it objects to the process followed by the country's parliament for the age of law, according to the BBC report.
The African National Congress Party in South Africa has made candidates facing corruption. (Reuters / Mike Hatchands)
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The Freedom Front Party, which defends the rights of the white minority in South Africa, pledged to challenge the law and do “everything in his power” to amend it if it turns out that it is unconstitutional.
