Key facts
- South Africa's Democratic Alliance has filed a court challenge against the Expropriation Act.
- The law permits the state to seize land in the public interest, potentially without compensation.
- The Democratic Alliance argues the legislation grants vague and sweeping powers, deterring investment.
- The African National Congress considers the act a milestone in addressing economic inequality.
- President Donald Trump previously cited the law when cutting off aid to South Africa.
South Africa's Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party in the governing coalition, has initiated a legal challenge against the Expropriation Act, a law that allows the state to seize land in the public interest, potentially without compensation. The party argues the legislation grants vague and sweeping powers that could deter investment. This move has created friction with the largest coalition partner, the African National Congress (ANC), which views the act as a crucial step towards addressing the country's economic inequalities stemming from apartheid. The Expropriation Act was signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa in January 2025, though no land has been seized to date. The Democratic Alliance's case will be heard alongside other legal challenges from groups representing Afrikaners, who allege discrimination. The ANC and Democratic Alliance formed a coalition government in 2024 after the ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994, and their partnership, though fractious, has remained intact.