Minister Dean Macpherson Remains Defiant Over Expropriation Bill, Faces Backlash From South Africans

• President Cyril Ramaphosa made some happy and angered man others when he signed the Expropriation Bill into law
• Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson stated the no compensation clause won't be implemented
• South Africans criticised Macpherson for opposing the president, telling him to resign if he wasn't happy with the Bill

President Cyril Ramaphosa may have signed the Expropriation Bill into law, but the Democratic Alliance’s Dean Macpherson is firmly opposed to it.

The Bill was signed into law by Ramaphosa on Thursday, 23 January 2025, and now allows the government to expropriate private property if it is in the public interest or for the benefit of the public.

The Bill, which replaced the apartheid-era Expropriation Act of 1975, also allows for expropriation without compensation.

Macpherson stands firm against Expropriation Bill

The expropriation without compensation part has not sat well with the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, who stated that it would not happen on his watch.

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Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Macpherson said he would not allow the legislature to be implemented without compensation.

It’s not the first time a DA minister defied their Government of National Unity (GNU) partners.

When the president signed the Basic Education Amendment Laws (BELA) Act, the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, didn’t attend. Many called for Ramaphosa to fire her in the wake of her absence.

South Africa’s comment on Macpherson’s defiance

Social media was not kind to the minister, with many questioning how he planned to ensure it wouldn’t be implemented on his watch.

William Les Tlhwaele joked:

“DA ministers are working overtime defying the state president😂.”

Jerry Koso said:

“Lols, I remember another minister did this, wa education. Even this one will sing the same tune.”

Tshepo Mashabela stated:

“Let him resign.”

Suresh Parus said:

Once the whip is cracked, he will buckle like the education minister. The DA is compromised due to joining the looters.”

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Josie Puchert Mackenzie added:

“How are you going to stop it? They passed a Bill through parliament, which you are a member of.”

Sizwe Siyaya stated:

“President CR will read the riot act for them.”

@EdgarLegoale added:

“The President must fire you. You are seriously out of order.”

@Laquiable noted:

“Insubordination is dismissal offence.”

Political parties reject Expropriation Bill

In a related article, numerous political parties opposed the signing of the Expropriation Bill into law.

Briefly News reported that the Economic Freedom Fighters, the Democratic Alliance and the MK Party were against it.

The DA said it would challenge the law in court, and the EFF and the MK Party rejected it outright in its current form.

Source: Briefly News