EWC or law and order, not both – IRR 

10 November 2020

Maintaining law and order is a key requirement of a functioning society, but when government officials act criminally themselves it becomes increasingly difficult to expect the broader society to adhere to the laws of the land.

Numerous high-ranking politicians within the African National Congress (ANC) have been implicated in crime and corruption, and this goes all the way up to the ruling party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

Yet, efforts to confront corruption are being undermined by the government’s dogged commitment to expropriation without compensation (EWC), which will erode a fundamental pillar of law and order: property rights.

With land invasions becoming more widespread, coupled with grave concerns about deficiencies in policing, changing section 25 of the Constitution will weaken the protection of property rights, and heighten the growing threat to law and order.

Without law and order, no country can prosper, and nor can it build respect for the law while contemplating legislation that goes against the very spirit of the law. or altering the Constitution in a way that weakens it.

South Africa can have EWC or law and order, but not both.

Issued by Hermann Pretorius, IRR Deputy Head of Policy Research, 10 November 2020