Ramaphosa: Govt ready to table land expropriation bill
During his State of the Nation Address in Parliament, the president said beneficiaries of land would undergo compulsory training before receiving the land.
JOHANNESBURG – President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday announced that government was ready to table the Expropriation Bill that outlined the circumstances under which expropriation of land without compensation would be permissible.
During his State of the Nation Address in Parliament, he said beneficiaries of land would undergo compulsory training before receiving the land.
“We are prioritising youth, women, people with disabilities and those who have been farming on communal land and are ready to expand their operations for training and allocation of land. “
The president also announced that government would this year release about 700,000 hectares of state land for agricultural production after having since releasing 44,000 hectares of state land for the settlement of land restitution claims.
In December, the parliamentary committee established to introduce legislation amending the Constitution to make land expropriation without compensation agreed to have the bill gazetted.
The bill proposes that the amount of the compensation and the time and manner of any payment for expropriated land must be just and equitable.
The national legislation must also set out specific circumstances where a court may determine that the amount of compensation is nil.
In 2018, Ramaphosa appointed an advisory panel on land reform comprising 10 members based on their academic background, professional experience, social entrepreneurship or activism related to the agricultural economy and land policy.
Additional reporting by Babalo Ndenze.
