South Africa’s new land expropriation law has reignited tensions over land ownership. The legislation, which allows land confiscation in rare cases without compensation, has drawn both support and opposition, highlighting deep inequalities.
In the Free State province, the township of Fateng Tse Ntsho is home to 7,000 Black South Africans, surrounded by vast, white-owned farmlands—a stark reminder of the country’s entrenched land disparities. Whites, who make up 8% of the population, own nearly 75% of privately held land, while Black ownership remains at just 4%, despite Black South Africans accounting for 80% of the population.
The Expropriation Act, signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa last month, seeks to redress this imbalance. However, it has sparked fears among white landowners, some of whom see it as a threat to property rights. U.S. President Donald Trump has openly criticized the law, falsely claiming that land had already been seized, and even offered white farmers resettlement in the U.S.
For Black farmworkers like Shadrack Maseko, whose family has lived on a white-owned farm for generations, land remains a deeply personal issue. His community of 14 families has been locked in a dispute with the farm’s new white owners over grazing rights, with legal battles forcing some to sell their cattle.
The debate over land reform in South Africa is far from new. Colonial laws and apartheid-era policies systematically stripped Black South Africans of land rights. The 1913 Native Land Act allocated most farmland to whites, while the 1950 forced removals displaced 3.5 million Black residents.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a radical opposition party, calls for outright land seizures, while AfriForum, a group representing white Afrikaners, warns of potential “land grabs”. Legal experts note that the law includes 17 procedural safeguards before expropriation can occur, yet fears persist.
Some white farmers, like Danie Bruwer, take a more pragmatic stance, acknowledging that land reform is necessary but warning that government inefficiency, corruption, and climate challenges could limit the law’s impact.
For many, the Expropriation Act is less about immediate land redistribution and more about correcting historical injustices. Legal scholar Tembeka Ngcukaitobi describes it as the "start, not the end of the journey," ensuring that South Africa’s long fight for land justice was not in vain.
Pope Francis will make his first public appearance in five weeks on Sunday, offering a blessing from his hospital window as he recovers from double pneumonia.
Two firefighters have tragically died and two more remain missing as wildfires continue to ravage South Korea, with over 20 fires burning across the country. The most severe blaze, in South Gyeongsang province, has already consumed hundreds of acres.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited the eastern Donetsk region, reinforcing the government’s commitment to maintaining stability and support for those affected by the ongoing conflict.
Tensions between Israel and Lebanon flared on Saturday after Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon in response to a cross-border rocket attack, heightening concerns of further conflict in the region.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has issued a stern warning about the possibility of renewed military operations in the south, following Israeli airstrikes in retaliation for a cross-border rocket launch.
Pope Francis will make his first public appearance in five weeks on Sunday, offering a blessing from his hospital window as he recovers from double pneumonia.
Two firefighters have tragically died and two more remain missing as wildfires continue to ravage South Korea, with over 20 fires burning across the country. The most severe blaze, in South Gyeongsang province, has already consumed hundreds of acres.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited the eastern Donetsk region, reinforcing the government’s commitment to maintaining stability and support for those affected by the ongoing conflict.
Tensions between Israel and Lebanon flared on Saturday after Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon in response to a cross-border rocket attack, heightening concerns of further conflict in the region.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has issued a stern warning about the possibility of renewed military operations in the south, following Israeli airstrikes in retaliation for a cross-border rocket launch.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed an unexpectedly long 286-day mission on the ISS, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule after delays caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
In a groundbreaking study published in Cell on January 18, Chinese researchers have unveiled a novel cancer treatment that ingeniously disguises tumors as pig tissue, triggering the body’s immune system to mount a hyperacute rejection response against the cancer cells.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated on Thursday that purchasing U.S. weapons does not pose a security risk for his country, but emphasized the need for Europe to reduce its reliance on American defense systems. His comments come amid growing discussions within Europe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump that Russia and Ukraine cease attacking each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days, the Kremlin said following a lengthy phone discussion between the leaders.
On March 16, at around 09:45, Armenian armed forces opened fire on Azerbaijani positions located in the direction of the Digh settlement in the Goris region, using firearms, according to Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defence.
Pope Francis will make his first public appearance in five weeks on Sunday, offering a blessing from his hospital window as he recovers from double pneumonia.
Two firefighters have tragically died and two more remain missing as wildfires continue to ravage South Korea, with over 20 fires burning across the country. The most severe blaze, in South Gyeongsang province, has already consumed hundreds of acres.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited the eastern Donetsk region, reinforcing the government’s commitment to maintaining stability and support for those affected by the ongoing conflict.
Tensions between Israel and Lebanon flared on Saturday after Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon in response to a cross-border rocket attack, heightening concerns of further conflict in the region.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has issued a stern warning about the possibility of renewed military operations in the south, following Israeli airstrikes in retaliation for a cross-border rocket launch.
Pope Francis will make his first public appearance in five weeks on Sunday, offering a blessing from his hospital window as he recovers from double pneumonia.
Two firefighters have tragically died and two more remain missing as wildfires continue to ravage South Korea, with over 20 fires burning across the country. The most severe blaze, in South Gyeongsang province, has already consumed hundreds of acres.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited the eastern Donetsk region, reinforcing the government’s commitment to maintaining stability and support for those affected by the ongoing conflict.
Tensions between Israel and Lebanon flared on Saturday after Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon in response to a cross-border rocket attack, heightening concerns of further conflict in the region.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has issued a stern warning about the possibility of renewed military operations in the south, following Israeli airstrikes in retaliation for a cross-border rocket launch.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment