President Cyril Ramaphosa Says Government Working on Restoring Dispossessed Land to Families

BLOEMFONTEIN, FREE STATE— South Africans snubbed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s assurances on Freedom Day, 27 April 2026, that the government is proactively taking steps to ensure that dispossessed land is returned to its rightful owners.

Ramaphosa was speaking at the Freedom Day Commemoration in Bloemfontein, Free State. Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address, where he touched on land, among other topics.

What did Ramaphosa say about land?

The President livestreamed the event on his @CyrilRamaphosa X account. Ramaphosa said during his address that the government is making progress on land reform, restoring land to those who were dispossessed of their land since the introduction of the 1913 Natives Land Act. He added that the government continues to support families to make a living by working the land.

One of the most recent steps Ramaphosa has taken was signing the Expropriation Bill into law. The Act allows the government to expropriate land without compensation under certain circumstances. The bill received widespread backlash, with opposition expressing concern that it could infringe on private property rights.

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View the livestream here:

What did netizens say?

South Africans commenting on Facebook expressed weariness at the remarks

Menzi Ngubane Emaphephetheni said:

“Talking and talking, but there is no action.”

Claude Alexander Prince sarcastically asked:

“Is it nearly election time again?”

King Dave was unimpressed.

“If empty promises were a person.”

Edith Felicity said:

“The speech for the last 32 years.”

Samuel Nale Singo said:

“I saw beautiful houses demolished in most provinces. If the government was making progress on land reform, such events should never have happened because they could have negotiated with the private land owners for the benefit of the public.”

Source: Briefly News