Farmers in South Africa say they are deeply worried that a bill regarding land seizures has been signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Essentially, the bill gives the government power to take farmers’ land, and even domestic houses, if there is good reason to do so, and not pay any compensation for it.
The president has signed into law the Expropriation Bill which repeals the pre-democratic Expropriation Act of 1975 and sets out how organs of state may expropriate land in the public interest for varied reasons.
Land seizures
According to the president’s office, this latest bill outlines how expropriation can be done and on what basis.
This law will assist all organs of state, local, provincial and national authorities, to expropriate land in the public interest for varied reasons.
Those reasons are not specifically defined but do include “to promote inclusivity and access to natural resources”.
The government said expropriation may not be exercised unless the expropriating authority has, without success, attempted to reach an agreement with the owner or holder of a right in property for the acquisition thereof on reasonable terms.
However, farmers are not happy with the controversial bill and fear it could escalate to what happened in Zimbabwe when the late President Robert Mugabe seized farms belonging to white farmers.
Farmer reaction
Jaco Minnaar, president of AgriSA, a big farmers’ organisation in South Africa, said they were disappointed with the move by the government.
Minnaar said: “As a farmer and businessman, the signing of the bill is concerning, but I am confident that we will be able to navigate the uncertainty ahead with the necessary legal remedies and leadership.
“AgriSA’s stance on this bill is clear. We believe that the wrong interpretation and implementation, pose a risk to private property rights, which are foundational to the structure and functioning of South African agriculture.
“The provisions of the bill allow for the expropriation of land with nil compensation under certain conditions in the public interest.
“This development raises concerns regarding agricultural sustainability and food security across our nation,” he added.
AgriSa says the potential impact on farmers cannot be overstated and that the threat to private property rights undermines the very principles upon which the industry operates.
Minnaar added: “Without the assurance of land ownership and the protection of property values, farmers’ investor confidence will be hindered, and ultimately our ability to feed our nation.”
