Adopting Expropriation Bill will destroy South Africa and its economy

20 March 2024

Should the Expropriation Bill be adopted, it will destroy South Africa's economy and seriously reduce stability in the country.

The Bill was adopted by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and will now be tabled again in the National Assembly (NA) for the adoption of amendments proposed by the NCOP before President Cyril Ramaphosa finally signs it into law.

At this stage, it is abundantly clear that the ANC will do everything in its power and use its numbers to steamroller the Bill through before the elections.

One of the most important cornerstones of a free-market economic system is the right to privately own land and property. This Bill is no different from expropriation without compensation and will jeopardise all property ownership.

The Bill clearly stipulates that it applies to all movable as well as immovable property, such as intellectual copyright.

This means that no one in South Africa will be able to claim sole ownership of his or her possessions as government can dictatorially expropriate any possession at will.

The FF Plus considers expropriation without compensation to be unconstitutional and will fight this matter all the way to the Constitutional Court alongside the other political parties and organisations that feel just as strongly about it.

The adoption of this Bill must be stopped in the interest of all South Africans. The FF Plus has always strongly opposed any attempts at expropriation without compensation.

Everyone in South Africa, and in any other democratic dispensation, has the right to own property and government has no right to unilaterally expropriate it.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 20 March 2024