Sizwe Dlamini
Expropriation is not a new concept, nor is it unique to South Africa. Thomas Karberg, an associate at Werksmans Attorneys, was quoted by Africa Check as saying: “The expropriation of land is not a new phenomenon, nor is it specific to South Africa. Land can be expropriated to build roads, government-funded facilities, and so forth.”
In other countries, expropriation is referred to as eminent domain or compulsory purchase. These terms all describe a government’s power to acquire private land for public use, typically accompanied by monetary compensation.
The primary purpose of the Expropriation Act is to allow the South African government to acquire private property for public use or in the public interest, with compensation determined as “just and equitable” rather than based solely on market value. Importantly,…
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Sunday Independent (Digital) - 1 Issue, 2025-03-23