The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) warmly welcomes the bold and long-overdue step by President Cyril Ramaphosa to sign the Expropriation Bill into law. This historic moment marks a significant milestone in addressing the legacies of colonial dispossession, apartheid inequality, and the deeply entrenched economic disparities that continue to plague our society.
The Constitution of South Africa, underpinned by values of redress, justice, and equality, has long recognized the necessity of expropriation of land for public interest and redress. Constitutional Court rulings have repeatedly affirmed that expropriation without compensation is both lawful and essential for the equitable redistribution of land in our society. This law is a vital instrument to correct the injustices of the past and fulfill the constitutional promise of dignity and equality for all South Africans.
We reject and condemn, in the strongest terms, the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) threat to challenge this progressive legislation in court. Their flimsy objections are not rooted in any constitutional principle but rather in a regressive desire to defend the status quo of land ownership patterns that continue to disenfranchise the dispossessed black majority. This behavior is emblematic of a party intent on maintaining an economic system where land remains concentrated in the hands of a privileged minority, perpetuating generational inequality and exclusion.
The DA’s opposition is not about constitutional integrity but about upholding an economic and social order that violates the very Constitution they purport to protect. Their actions are an affront to the constitutional commitment to social justice and transformative change. By refusing to acknowledge the moral and legal imperative of land redistribution, they align themselves with those who would rather keep South Africa’s black majority trapped in landlessness, poverty, and economic exclusion.
The current land ownership patterns in South Africa are a direct assault on the Constitution’s vision of a just and equitable society. This law is not about taking away land for its own sake; it is about restoring dignity, ensuring food security, addressing spatial injustice, and building an economy where all South Africans can thrive.
SAFTU stands firm in its commitment to radical land reform as a central pillar of economic transformation. We urge all progressive forces in South Africa to rally behind this legislation and resist any attempts to derail its implementation. Land reform is not only a political imperative; it is a moral one.
We call on the government to ensure the swift and effective implementation of the Expropriation Bill and to guard against any attempts by reactionary forces to undermine
this progressive step forward. SAFTU will remain vigilant and mobilized to ensure that this legislation is used to meaningfully address the historical injustices that have left millions dispossessed in their own country.
The signing of the Expropriation Bill into law is a victory for justice, equality, and the principles of our hard-won Constitution. It is a step closer to realizing the dreams of those who fought and sacrificed for a South Africa that truly belongs to all who live in it.
