The DA has raised objections to the voting mandate in the Free State Legislature, which grants the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) the power to approve the Expropriation Bill.

The DA’s objections are based on the Bill's provision for the expropriation of property without compensation, among other issues:

• It does not properly define property;
• Places the rights of the state above those of individuals;
• Allows for nil compensation under Section 12(3)(a) for property that is not being used;
• Challenges the provisions of Section 25 of the Constitution and the integrity of South African Constitutionalism;
• Incentivises land invasions;
• Threatens the security of the banking sector and the economy and;
• Fails to properly address the issue of settling unpaid mortgages where there is expropriation without compensation.

The Bill also threatens the security of land ownership, which has an impact on the agricultural sector and food security.  While the DA is unwavering in its commitment to land reform and restitution, we maintain that the current land reform policies are not the root cause of the issue. Instead, it is the widespread problems of corruption and mismanagement that have hindered progress, as highlighted in the High Panel (Motlanthe) Report.

The Expropriation Bill is not the answer to land reform challenges, and the ANC-run government’s obsession with expropriation remains a smoke screen for their failure over 30 years to implement sustainable land reform and restitution policies.

Issued by Jafta Mokoena - DA Public Works Spokesperson in the Free State Legislature