AfriForum and co. start a court battle against expropriation without compensation

The High Court in Cape Town (Photo: Shutterstock)

AfriForum and other parties’ long-awaited court battle to challenge the constitutionality of the Expropriation Act began today in the Cape Town High Court.

This week’s court proceedings will determine in what way the various parties and organizations that want to participate in the case will be allowed to do so and therefore who will participate as amici (friends of the court), respondents and applicants.

According to Ernst van Zyl, head of public relations at AfriForum, this court case is expected to be one of the most important of the decade, as its outcome will determine the future of the fundamental right to private property in the country.

“Private property rights are relentlessly attacked on many fronts by forces that want to abolish this right in South Africa. However, AfriForum stands firm against these agents of chaos,” explains Van Zyl.

“In a speech he delivered in August last year in Zimbabwe, President Cyril Ramaphosa praised former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s destructive policy of land reform and described it as ‘ambitious’ and ‘necessary’. We therefore believe the ANC when they say their aim with the Expropriation Act is to enable expropriation without compensation, similar to what we saw in Zimbabwe.”

Members of the public can stand together with AfriForum against expropriation without compensation. Visit www.onteiening.co.za for more information.