ANC still trying to sneak EWC through the backdoor
7 September 2022
Today, the Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure conducted a clause-by-clause vote on the Expropriation Bill. This was the culmination of a gruelling 22 months of public hearings, written and oral submissions and a clause-by-clause debate.
The Expropriation Bill was never primarily intended to serve as a land reform instrument, but instead as an updated framework to govern state expropriation when done for a public purpose or in the public interest, and subject to compensation.
The Expropriation Bill as it stands today is a crude attempt by the ANC to sneak expropriation without compensation through the back door, inside of ordinary legislation. It is increasingly clear that the ANC intends to use the Expropriation Bill as a cynical electioneering tool – as opposed to a well-crafted Bill that replaces South Africa’s currently outdated expropriation framework – that dates back to 1975.
The Expropriation Bill remains deeply flawed and poses a significant threat to private property rights. The DA has sought through our fight in the Committee to ensure that state power is curtailed in favour of individual rights. Following our efforts, the Committee was presented with a substantially altered piece of legislation. While the Bill continued to promote the ‘expropriation without compensation’ narrative, it included clauses and amendments that allowed for owners to make counter offers on proposed compensation. This was an excellent step towards balancing the power of the state and the individual.