DA seeks ‘urgent reset in relations’ over Expropriation Act

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen says he has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa to notify him that he was formally invoking Section 19 of the Statement of Intent over the enactment of the Land Expropriation Act. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Act on Thursday, 23 January.

STEENHUISEN DISAPPOINTED IN RAMAPHOSA FOR SIGNING EXPROPRIATION ACT 

During a briefing on Saturday, Steenhuisen said after a promising start whereby President Ramaphosa delayed the implementation of the BELA Act to enable negotiations, recent weeks have made it increasingly clear that the ANC has lost interest in honouring its side of the relationship.

He further accused Ramaphosa of disregarding the serious constitutional objections raised by Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson over the Expropriation Bill. 

“He failed to even inform the Minister about when he intended to sign the bill into force,” he said. 

Macpherson has also expressed dissatisfaction with the Expropriation Act, saying it will not be implemented under his watch. 

Regarding the letter he wrote to Ramaphosa, Steenhuisen said Clause 19 codifies the procedure to be followed when differences on issues arise between parties to the GNU.
He said Clause 19.3 states, “Sufficient consensus exists when parties to the GNU representing 60% of seats in the National Assembly agree…”

The only parties in the GNU that together represent 60% of seats are the ANC and the DA.

In the event of a lack of sufficient consensus, the Statement of Intent, in clause 20, continues: “The Parties to the GNU shall also establish dispute resolution or deadlock breaking mechanisms, in instances where sufficient consensus is not reached.”

Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa needs to accept that his party is now just another minority party and that the DA are partners in the GNU.

“We won over 3.5 million votes and are in the government to represent our voters and rescue South Africa. We must seriously consider our next steps if we cannot fulfill this mandate inside the GNU. 

“The DA will not, under any circumstances, be reduced to being mere spectators. I want the people of South Africa to know that the DA does not take this step lightly,” he said. 

Further, Steenhuisen said the seriousness of this situation demands that they engage other parties in the GNU, too, such as the IFP, which has publicly opposed the Expropriation Act.

“We are invoking clause 19 in pursuit of an urgent reset in relations because South Africa deserves a functioning coalition where partners treat each other respectfully in pursuit of solutions to our country’s many pressing problems. The solutions must work to undo the failed policies of the past thirty years. Under the GNU, it is time for new policies,” he emphasised.’

DO YOU THINK THE DA WOULD LEAVE THE GNU OVER THE LAND EXPROPRIATION ACT AS IT THREATENED WHEN THE BELA ACT WAS SIGNED?

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