Response on the alleged leaked list for expropriation without compensation

13 August 2018

The Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, has taken note of various reports concerning an alleged list of farms earmarked for expropriation of land without compensation. Minister Nkoana-Mashabane would therefore like to set the record straight that there is no list farms for expropriation of land without compensation.

The Parliamentary process of consultations by the Constitutional Review Committee on the review of Section 25 is still in process. The amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution has not taken place. We therefore put it on record that the Dept. of Rural Development and Land Reform has not embarked on any process of expropriating land without compensation.

The current legislative framework still requires just and equitable compensation for any expropriation of land. The normal processing of such land reform projects under the Restitution, The Redistribution and tenure Reform programs requires that valuations be conducted by the office of the Valuer-General in terms of Property Evaluation Act be done and offers for the purchase of such land will either be accepted or rejected upon negotiations by the affected land owners.

The Minister is empowered by the current existing law to issue notices of expropriation with an offer for payment of just and equitable compensation and any affected land owner would have an opportunity to respond as provided for in terms of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act. The department will therefore never publish nor circulate a list of farms to be expropriated as that would be highly irresponsible, unfair and unprocedural.

Statement issued by Department of Rural development and Land Reform, 13 August 2018