Steenhuisen clarifies DA's position on Expropriation Act

CAPE  TOWN - Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has moved to clarify his party’s position on the Expropriation Act, insisting property owners must be paid their fair share.
 
This comes after the DA’s own public works minister, Dean Macpherson, defended parts of the act like the payment of "nil compensation", saying it’s not the same as expropriation without compensation.

READ: DA vows to challenge new expropriation law in court

But Steenhuisen said they believed that compensation must be "just and equitable", adding that they would continue fighting the law in court.
 
Minister Macpherson addressed a panel discussion during the Nampo Agriculture Festival in Bothaville in the Free State this week, where he said that "nil compensation" on its own was a form of compensation.
 
"An unlawful act of expropriation without compensation as expropriation with nil compensation. Nil compensation is clearly defined and they’re not the same thing," Macpherson said.
 
It wasn’t long before the DA responded on Saturday to clarify its position, with Steenhuisen saying the party remained committed to ensuring that people get paid a fair amount.
 
"We believe that compensation in terms of any expropriation must be just and equitable, just as section 25 of the Constitution dictates."
 
Steenhuisen said that they would continue to fight for property rights and was confident their court challenge against the act on constitutional grounds would succeed.