Statement by the Ad Hoc Group for the Protection of Property Rights*
The right to own property is one of the pillars of stability in countries that have proven themselves to be successful and that continue to develop and flourish. The expropriation of property — however it may be disguised — brings uncertainty, and when ideologically founded, it is a harbinger of disaster and misery. The Zimbabwe model has been gaining momentum in South Africa over the last few years, after the ANC accepted a proposal of expropriation without compensation at its national conference in December 2017.
The Ad Hoc Group for the Protection of Property Rights has been endeavouring since 2008 to resist the ANC’s ceaseless attempts at expropriation in one way or another. In this spirit, we wish to express our abhorrence at the short-sighted persistence and preoccupation of the ANC government to steamroller legislation that allows, by implication, for assets to be expropriated without compensation. This will undoubtedly result in the ever-increasing destruction of the mechanisms needed to create wealth, grow the economy and create a better future for South Africa’s residents.
The preoccupation of the governing party with an outdated ideology that has only caused poverty and sorrow the world over is well known. Jaco Schoeman, convener of the Ad Hoc Group, points out that today, with the adoption of the bill, South Africa is reaping the bitter fruits of the ANC’s factional infights, which have resulted in mounting policy uncertainty.
Schoeman adds that the network of organisations in the Ad Hoc Group has a direct interest in having the country function successfully for all its people. However, this cannot be achieved in an environment poised for a disastrous outcome. Most important is the effect that expropriation is bound to have on food security, something on which we place the highest possible premium, and so we must register our concern and make our voices heard.
This draconian legislation must now be fought outside Parliament with all our might and in every possible way. The ANC’s failures cannot be repaired or whitewashed through ill-considered legislation. We implore all role players who share our concern to make themselves heard. This is not something that can be blithely accepted. The implications are too great and too far-reaching. We are aware of several organisations and possibly also political parties that are already considering litigation. We commit ourselves to supporting litigation as necessary and coordinating role players to bolster a combined litigation capacity.
Photo: Matt Forster on Unsplash
