Ramaphosa expected to use SONA to allay fears on Expropriation Act

CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to come out strongly on Thursday night to articulate South Africa's position on the expropriation of private property.  

This is in light of threats from the United States to pull aid and to boycott the G20 foreign ministers meeting later this month.  

The recently enacted Expropriation Act - which replaces a 50-year-old law - has put South Africa in the international spotlight over false claims by US President Donald Trump that land grabs are happening in the country.  

Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson said the fallout is due to former administrations underestimating how much the domestic agenda impacts foreign policy.  

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While his party, the Democratic Alliance (DA) is threatening legal action over the Expropriation Act, Macpherson said he won’t shirk his responsibility to implement the act.  

"I think at the end of the day, I always have to put South Africa’s interest first, and those interests are making sure that we are able to sustain and protect what investment is already in this country and be able to attract new investment." 

Macpherson said while the misinformation must be countered, SA should not view the United States as an adversary.  

"We need to be able to speak to them and assist them and to help them understand about South Africa, around some of these policies, etc," he said.  

Macpherson said only once the DA lodges its review application, will he be able to determine the next steps in implementing the act.