AfriForum’s warnings about expropriation without compensation confirmed by Mashatile’s comments in Parliament

The ANC remains committed to its goal of implementing expropriation without compensation and strongly supports this policy – ​​something that the civil rights organisation AfriForum has warned about for years. During a parliamentary question-and-answer session on Tuesday, Deputy President Paul Mashatile stressed that the ANC has not abandoned its resolution on land expropriation without compensation, which the party adopted at its conference in 2017, and that the party still supports expropriation without compensation. In response to a question from the EFF, Mashatile replied: “The ANC is pro-expropriation of land without compensation, we have never deviated from that”.

When asked by MK Party (MKP) MP Brian Molefe whether the ANC had changed its position on land expropriation without compensation, Mashatile also replied: “When we came to Parliament to pursue this resolution, we had to talk to all the other parties. When it came to amending Section 25 [of the Constitution], we failed to pass it in Parliament. We went further to ensure that we have a way in which we can proceed with land expropriation”. Mashatile further confirmed that the Expropriation Act was signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa precisely to ensure that the Government could proceed with expropriation without compensation, after the ANC failed in their attempt to have Section 25 of the Constitution amended. “We are pushing much faster to expropriate land,” Mashatile said.

According to Ernst van Zyl, Head of Public Relations at AfriForum, it is shocking that, despite the ANC’s repeated admission that they want and will expropriate private property without compensation through the Expropriation Act, there are still those who deny this. “The ANC’s own statements contradict the objections of those who continue to create a smokescreen for them,” says Van Zyl.

“AfriForum will continue to ensure that people in and around South Africa are informed about how private property rights are being threatened. We will also fight the Expropriation Act in court in 2026,” Van Zyl concludes.