Malema vows to defend Expropriation Act against FF Plus

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the contentious bill into law last week.

Since then, the Democratic Alliance, Freedom Front Plus, IFP, and AfriForum have vowed to turn to the courts to oppose the Act.  

FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald urged political parties represented in Parliament to challenge the constitutionality of the Expropriation Act in the Constitutional Court.

"Section 80 of the Constitution determines that one-third of the members of the National Assembly may apply to the Constitutional Court to obtain an order that a parliamentary law is unconstitutional, whether partially or in its entirety,” Groenewald said. 

“This has to be done within 30 days after the date on which the president signed and promulgated the law.” 

While Malema has criticised the Act, calling it a “cosmetic measure” that fails to address the real issue of land redistribution, he said the EFF will oppose any move to challenge it in court. 

Speaking to SABC News during his visit to Relebogile Secondary School in Khutsong, west of Johannesburg, Malema said the EFF would not allow anyone to block efforts to return land to Black South Africans.  

"We don't support the Expropriation Act in its current form because it’s cosmetic. It’s not a real effort to address land redistribution. People just want to be seen doing something,” Malema said. 

“The Act doesn’t resolve the return of land to its rightful owners. It promotes expropriation with compensation, which essentially upholds the ‘willing buyer, willing seller’ principle. That means even if the government has the money if the seller isn’t willing, nothing can be done.

“We can’t support the Expropriation Bill in its current form. However, we will go to court to defend it against right-wingers. While we’re dissatisfied with the Bill, we’re equally dissatisfied with the Freedom Front Plus and their allies. Any attack from the Freedom Front Plus will put us on the same side in court," vowed Malema.

He said the party’s lawyers have already been briefed to notify the court that the EFF would join the case as an interested party.  

"...Because in South Africa, you can’t talk about land and exclude the EFF. It wouldn’t reflect the reality of South African politics. We are ready for the Freedom Front Plus.  

“But they’re bluffing - they like to make noise. I mean, the leader of the Freedom Front Plus, since being appointed Minister of Correctional Services, has gone AWOL. He’s only resurfacing now to talk about going to court and other issues.  

“There’s no real Freedom Front Plus. It’s just an entity representing racist agendas. These are people who are relatives and associates of those who killed Chris Hani. They will never support anything that benefits Black people," said Malema.

Malema also criticised Minister of Public Works Dean Macpherson, accusing him of violating his oath of office by indicating his intention to refuse to implement the law.

Malema called on the minister to either implement the law or resign.  

"With that statement alone, he has violated his oath of office. He pledged to implement all the laws of South Africa. There is no law of the DA; there is only the law of South Africa.  

“Whether you like it or not, you are a minister, you must implement it or resign. But they won’t resign because they love their positions. All of them love positions, even when they don’t know what to do with them.  

“They’re always threatening to walk away. They said they would walk away over the BELA Bill, yet it went through. Now, this Expropriation Bill has also gone through," said Malema.  

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