SA land: Ramaphosa's signing of Expropriation Bill aligned with Constitution
On Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the bill which sets out how organs of State may expropriate land in the public interest for varied reasons.
President Cyril Ramaphosa promulgated the full implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act on 20 December 2024. Picture: Supplied
JOHANNESBURG - The Presidency says the Expropriation Bill was signed into law by President Cyril Ramphosa to align expropriation legislation with the Constitution.
On Thursday, Ramaphosa signed the bill which sets out how organs of State may expropriate land in the public interest for varied reasons.
The signing of the bill has also been welcomed by parties like the Good Party which says it’s a "much-needed improvement on the 1975 Act".
The Presidency said Section 25 of the Constitution recognises expropriation as an essential mechanism for the State to acquire someone’s property for a public purpose or in the public interest.
This must be subject to just and equitable compensation being paid.
Up to now, the expropriation of property has been governed in terms of the Expropriation Act of 1975, which predates the expropriation mechanism provided for in section 25(2) of the constitution.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said expropriation will take place in line with the Constitution.
“In terms of this law, an expropriating authority may not expropriate property arbitrarily or for a purpose other than a public purpose or in the public interest.”
Welcoming the signing of the bill, Good Party Secretary General Brett Herron said the new law articulates the circumstances under which nil compensation would be just and equitable.
He added that the law is not the "loaded gun to chase landowners into the sea that opponents to the bill projected it to be".