Democratic Alliance Files Papers Against Expropriation Acts, SA Laughs

• The Democratic Alliance's (DA) Federal chair Helen Zille filed papers at the Western Cape High Court against the Expropriation Act
• President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Act into law in January and the party strongly opposed it
• Zille reiterated the DA's stance that the act was unconstitutional and South Africans roasted her

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, Parliament and Parliamentary committees, politician-related news and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — The Democratic Alliance (DA) filed papers to oppose the Expropriation Act at the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town on 7 February 2025. This was after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Act into law in January.

DA files papers opposing Expropriation Act

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According to the DA, the Expropriation Act is unconstitutional and it gives the government sweeping powers to expropriate without compensation. The party believes that true redress requires the protection of property rights.

It accused the president of not conforming to the constitution, alleging that five out of the seven provinces that voted for it did not obtain a provincial mandate. It also accused the law of being vague and contradictory. The party posted a video of Federal Chair Helen Zille opening a case on its @Our_DA X account.

View the video here:

What you need to know about the Expropriation Act

• The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson, a member of the DA, said he would not implement the nil compensation clause of the Act.
• The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the MK Party rejected the Expropriation Act in its current form.
• The EFF also said it would defend the Act if the Freedom Front Plus would litigate against the Act.

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South Africans' views

Some netizens accused the DA of flip-flopping.

Brendon Hill said:

"You're not committed to anything."

Life Light Channel said:

"John seems very much in favour of it."

Quintus van Rensburg said:

"A little late, don't you think?"

Frank Hunt said:

"Back to the controlled opposition role she goes."

Geezer asked:

"How did this act pass in the first place?"

John Steenhuisen receives backlash

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the DA president John Steenhuisen was criticised for defending the Expropriation Act. He spoke after US President Donald Trump accused the government of seizing land.

He said that the allegations were not true and said the Act requires fair compensation for legitimate expropriations. South Africans had mixed feelings about his defending the Act.

Source: Briefly News