The recent signing of the Expropriation Bill into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa has the potential to create further challenges for the Government of National Unity (GNU). Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson, a key figure overseeing the law, made it clear that he would protect property rights and ensure no private property is expropriated without compensation under his tenure.
The Expropriation Bill was introduced to tackle long-standing issues surrounding land inequality and to provide a framework for land expropriation without compensation. However, tensions between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) could escalate further with this new development.
These parties, which formed a GNU after the May 2024 elections, have already disagreed on matters such as the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill and the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill. This new law could deepen the rift between them.
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On Friday, Macpherson, a DA member, took to social media to make it clear that as Minister of Public Works, he would not allow the expropriation of private property without compensation.
He stated, “As the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, there will be NO expropriation of private property without compensation on my watch.” He further emphasized that the guarantee of property rights under Section 25 of the Constitution was non-negotiable.
In addition to this statement, Macpherson clarified that, according to the law, only ministers have the authority to implement Acts and regulations, suggesting that comments made by others in the department should not be considered as official positions.