South Africa’s ANC Withdraws Land Expropriation Bill Passed in 2016 For Constitution Change Process

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) said on Tuesday an expropriation bill passed by parliament in 2016, enabling the state to make compulsory purchases of land to redress racial disparities in land ownership, has been withdrawn.

The bill, which had not been signed into law, was withdrawn to allow an ongoing process – reviewing Section 25 of the Constitution – that could lead to the changing of the constitution to pave way for expropriation of land without compensation, the party said.

The Expropriation Bill had been passed by Parliament in 2016, and returned by former President Jacob Zuma in 2017, due to concerns arising from the public participation process followed by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

Freddie Adams, Whip of the Study Group on Public Works, said: “As the ANC, we reiterate our commitment to pursue the expropriation of land without compensation as one of the measures to ensure that land reform is implemented in a way that increases agricultural production, improves food security and ensures that the land is returned to those from whom it was taken under colonialism and apartheid.”

Sources: ANC and Reuters

(Reporting by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and Jenni Baxter; Editing by James Macharia)