Land reform unlikely to mean constitutional change – analysts
South Africa looks likely to implement land redistribution under existing laws rather than by changing the constitution following a ruling party summit, in an approach more palatable to investors, analysts said on Tuesday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who came to power in February when former leader Jacob Zuma was ousted by his own party, has pledged to redistribute land without compensation, a move popular with poorer black voters ahead of an election next year.
The African National Congress (ANC) on Monday said it would "test the argument" that land redistribution without compensation is permitted under current laws, which would avoid the risky strategy of trying to change the constitution.
"Ramaphosa is working hard to defuse this issue. There is a carefully calculated move to work within the current legal framework," said political analyst Daniel Silke.
"Changing the constitution over an issue that can be dealt with under current laws would be a red flag to a bull with foreign and domestic investors."
With parliamentary elections next year, accelerating land reform will help to nullify the threat of the left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a party whose push for radical wealth redistribution is attractive to disillusioned ANC supporters.
The EFF says the constitution must be changed to ensure radical redistribution of land and other parts of the economy from the white minority to the black majority.
"The ANC has become disposed to expropriate without compensation precisely because of pressure from the EFF," said Lesiba Teffo, political analyst and a professor at the University of South Africa.
"I think the majority of the people will be happy with a measured approach. The EFF has overplayed the race card."
Some investors are concerned that the ANC's reforms will result in white farmers being stripped of land to the detriment of the economy, although Ramaphosa has repeatedly said any changes will not compromise food security or growth.
Experts say South Africa will not repeat the violent land seizures seen in neighbouring Zimbabwe.
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation