DA announces official dispute with President and ANC
DA’s John Steenhuisen has stated that the Expropriation Bill is unconstitutional. The DA has declared a formal dispute.
The DA has officially declared a Government of National Unity (GNU) dispute regarding the Expropriation Bill and the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act.
‘ANC has shown open disregard,’ DA
According to John Steenhuisen, the Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Leader, the Expropriation Bill is unconstitutional. ‘By signing the unconstitutional Expropriation Bill into law and refusing to engage with the DA regarding detrimental implications of implementing the NHI in its current form, the ANC has shown open disregard for the founding principles on which the GNU was based,’ said Steenhuisen.
He added that ‘this betrayal isn’t just an attack on the DA; it’s an insult to every South African who voted for real change’.
DA ready to fight for what they believe is right
Steenhuisen emphasised that the DA will not stand by as the ANC ‘undermines the GNU to push through policies that threaten your property, healthcare, and the economy’.
Steenhuisen wrote to President Ramaphosa to notify him that he was formally invoking Section 19 of the Statement of Intent. This clause is meant to address what should be done to resolve disputes between partners. It requires sufficient consensus among parties to the GNU representing 60% of the seats in the National Assembly. The only parties within the GNU that together reach this benchmark are the DA and ANC.
ANC slammed for arrogance
Steenhuisen stated that ‘while the DA has upheld our commitments, the ANC has chosen arrogance over collaboration’. He also emphasised that the stability of the government as well as the security of Ramaphosa’s position are entirely dependent on the relationship between the two biggest partners inside the GNU, i.e. the DA and the ANC.
The Expropriation Bill
Last week, on 23 January 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Bill into law, replacing the 1975 Expropriation Act. The Bill cancels out the pre-democratic Expropriation Act of 1975. It sets out how government bodies can take land for the public good for different reasons.
To see the press release about this from the presidency, click here.
Markedly, the National Assembly approved the Expropriation Bill in September 2022 and the Democratic Alliance (DA), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) voted against the Bill at that time.