No law or action targets Afrikaners as a group, says Thuli Madonsela

Former public protector Prof Thuli Madonsela has addressed growing international concerns surrounding the Expropriation Act, offering a rebuttal to critics.

She provided a clear message in response to US President Donald Trump's executive order halting all US aid to SA, a decision based on claims of human rights violations targeting the white Afrikaner minority.

“There is no law or action in South Africa that targets Afrikaners as a group,” Madonsela said, responding to the notion that the new legislation discriminates against white citizens.

The Expropriation Act allows the government to seize property without compensation in certain cases. It has sparked concerns, particularly among white farmers, about potential violations of property rights.

Madonsela emphasised the broad and inclusive nature of the law, noting it applies to all South Africans equally.

“When a toxic cocktail of ignorance, vested interest and malice drive decision-making ,you get outcomes such as this,” she said.

Madonsela emphasised the law aims to provide a transparent and fair process in land redistribution, which safeguards against misuse of authority.

“The Land Expropriation Act, which replaces an existing 1975 law, has better protection against arbitrary use of state power”

She also addressed the section of the act which deals with compensation for expropriated land: “Section 12, which includes nil compensation, targets only unused land, starting with negotiations followed by a court-supervised compensation regime.”

The system, she noted, ensures fairness by initiating negotiations and involving the judiciary in the compensation process.

Despite Madonsela’s reassurances, the law has remained a point of contention on the global stage. Trump has issued an executive order halting US aid to SA over the act, which has drawn attention to the land reform issue. The US also offered resettlement to Afrikaners, urging them to seek refugee status and relocate to the US.

Activist groups within the Afrikaner community have declined the proposal, stating their intention to remain in SA and work within the country to address the challenges posed by the new law.

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