South Africa’s second-largest coalition partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA), is seeking to annul the newly signed land expropriation law, calling it unconstitutional.
The bill, signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, allows the government to expropriate property without compensation under certain conditions.
The law has sparked international controversy, particularly from U.S. President Donald Trump, who claims it could lead to land seizures from white farmers. In response, the U.S. has frozen aid to South Africa.
Land ownership remains a sensitive issue in South Africa, where most farmland is still owned by white South Africans, a legacy of apartheid.
The DA, a white-led opposition party, argues the law is vague and contradictory.
The new law replaces a 1975 apartheid-era statute, aligning land policies with the post-apartheid constitution.
Despite concerns, the South African government insists the law only permits land expropriation in “just and equitable” circumstances for public interest.
