Yesterday, the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) hosted a livestream discussion with their Head of Policy Research, Dr. Anthea Jeffery, on the Expropriation Bill.
The discussion was hosted by the IRR’s Head of Strategic Initiatives, Hermann Pretorius. The presentation revolved around the controversial Expropriation Bill that is currently before Parliament. Jeffery released an Issue Alert on this Bill last week.
Pretorius and Jeffery dissected the Bill in all its detail and also answered the question most frequently asked by South Africans. At the beginning of the discussion Pretorius stated that “The land issue has been weaponised by political actors…it’s not this great pressing need.”
On the important question of who and what this Bill would affect Jeffery said “This bill can affect not only farms and homes but also shopping centres, factories, business premises, mines.”
This is contrary to the argument that has been promoted by the government, that this Bill will only affect land, especially farm land. According to Jeffery’s assessment of the Bill this is false and she said that “to pretend it’s limited to land is really to pull the wool over people’s eyes.”
In what is a minor victory for the IRR, the deadline for public comment on the Expropriation Bill has been pushed to 28 February. Public participation is an essential part of law-making and Pretorius encouraged South Africans to get involved at the end of yesterday’s livestream saying “We cannot promise you that if you stand with us, that we win this fight, but we can promise you that if you don’t we lose.”
You can send your comment on the Expropriation Bill here.