Tinaye Agere
SOUTH AFRICA’S Expropriation Act, which empowers its government to cease and reallocate land without compensation in certain cases, has received plaudits, with observers saying it’s a step in the right direction to restore dignity.
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Bill into law on Thursday.
It was passed by the National Assembly in 2022 and was sent to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) for concurrence.
President of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) and South Africa’s Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development Mzwanele Nyhontso said the recently signed Expropriation Act is a step in the right direction in government’s efforts to restore the dignity of landless black people.
“We welcome the Bill and the Bill is therefore repealing the apartheid Expropriation Bill of 1975,” he said.
“But it must also be noted that this Bill is the Bill from Public Works.
“It means they want to expropriate for public use. It is not really helpful to land reform but at least now there is a platform, there is a process where you can negotiate, including giving people nil compensation. But truth is it is going to take time because you still have to go negotiate and you still have to go to court and you may still lose in court but it is a step in the right direction.”
The Act paves the way for the expropriation of land in the public interest for various reasons. – SABC News/ Online Reporter
Online Reporter