South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law a bill that will allow the government to seize land without having to pay compensation, which some in the government say is a threat to private ownership.

The law, which replaces the pre-democratic Expropriation Act of 1975, “outlines how expropriation can be done and on what basis” by the state, the government says, according to the BBC. 

Ramaphosa’s party, the African National Congress, or ANC, hailed the law as a “significant milestone.” However, some members of the government have signaled they will challenge the legality of the law. 

Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, in July 2023 (Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua via Getty Images)

“Expropriation may not be exercised unless the expropriating authority has without success attempted to reach an agreement with the owner or holder of a right in property for the acquisition thereof on reasonable terms,” he added. 

The Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-largest party in the government, said it “strongly opposes” the law and was consulting with its lawyers.

It says that while it supports legislation addressing land restitution, it takes issue with the process followed by the country’s parliament to enact the law, the BBC report states. 

South Africa’s ANC party has fielded candidates facing corruption charges. (Reuters/Mike Hutchings)

The Freedom Front Plus party, which defends the rights of South Africa’s White minority, vowed to challenge the law and do “everything in its power” to have it amended if it is found to be unconstitutional.