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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Signs Controversial Expropriation Bill Into Law, Aiming at Land Reform with Nil Compensation

Jan 23, 2025, 03:25 PM

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Expropriation Bill into law, marking a significant development in the country's land reform efforts. The new legislation, which took five years to develop through public consultations and parliamentary deliberations, replaces the apartheid-era Expropriation Act of 1975. It outlines how organs of state may expropriate land in the public interest for various reasons, subject to just and equitable compensation being paid, though it also provides for the possibility of nil compensation. The bill has stirred controversy, with the African Transformation Movement (ATM) criticizing it for not addressing past injustices and the Democratic Alliance (DA) strongly opposing it. The signing of the bill comes after the issue of land expropriation without compensation was raised in parliament, spearheaded by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), following an ANC resolution from its 2017 elective congress. The move could potentially strain relations with GNU partners.