TLU SA officially handed in its comment against the amendment of the existing Expropriation Bill (Act 63 of 1975) this week. The deadline for comment was extended from 10 February to 28 February 2021.
In its comment TLU SA proposes that the bill should be rewritten to provide only for the expropriation of property when it is needed for infrastructure development, and then at market prices.
“This is probably the most short-sighted piece of legislation that could be brought to the table,” says Mr Henry Geldenhuys, the president of TLU SA. “It cancels out any possibility of getting the country’s economy back on track. The government should respect market forces and private property rights as the foundation and starting point for economic growth.”
TLU SA’s proposal emphasises that the vague wording of the amendment opens the gate for the government to expropriate any property under the guise of public interest without compensation.
“The state must have the power to expropriate for infrastructure development, and legislation should provide for this, in other words, expropriation for a public purpose,” says Mr Geldenhuys. “The existing legal owner should be fairly compensated, which actually means that the owner should be able to recreate their business in a different location. When the description of public interest is as wide and vague as in this proposed amendment, pensions, homes and investments will also be up for the taking without any compensation.
“For the economy to have any chance at recovery, the country urgently needs foreign investment. But no investor of sound mind will consider investing in a country where property can be expropriated left, right and centre. We want to make it clear that as the bill currently stands, the possible application thereof would be catastrophic for the future of our country and its citizens.”
The public has until the end of the month to comment on the proposed amendments to the Expropriation Bill. TLU SA created a platform where South Africans can add their comment. These comments will also form part of TLU SA’s verbal presentation to the parliament.
“It is of the utmost importance that the public show their opposition by taking part in the process of commenting,” Mr Geldenhuys concludes. “The Expropriation Bill is only the start.”
**Find the platform at this link: https://www.tlu.co.za/en/expropriation-bill/
TLU SA dien kommentaar teen onteiening sonder vergoeding in
TLU SA het vandeesweek amptelik kommentaar gelewer teen die wysiging van die bestaande Onteieningswet (Wet 63 van 1975). Die tydperk vir openbare kommentaar is pas van 10 Februarie tot 28 Februarie 2021 verleng.
In die kommentaar stel TLU SA voor dat die voorgestelde wet herskryf moet word sodat onteiening van eiendom slegs kan plaasvind wanneer dit benodig word vir die ontwikkeling van infrastruktuur, en dan slegs teen markverwante pryse en vir die openbare doel.
“Hierdie wetswysiging is waarskynlik die mees kortsigtige stuk wetgewing wat al ooit ter tafel gelê is,” sê mnr. Henry Geldenhuys, die president van TLU SA. “Dit kanselleer enige moontlikheid om Suid-Afrika se ekonomie te herstel.Die regering moet markkragte respekteer en eiendomsreg erken as die fondasie vir ekonomiese groei.”
TLU SA se kommentaar beklemtoon dat die vae bewoording van die wetswysiging die baan weg vir die regering om enige eiendo m onder die voorwendsel van openbare belang sonder vergoeding te onteien.
“Wetgewing moet daarvoor voorsiening maak dat grond vir infrastruktuur ontwikkeling – wat dan in openbare belang is – onteien kan word,” sê mnr. Geldenhuys. “Maar die bestaande eienaar moet dan in so ‘n mate vergoed word dat hulle die bestaande besigheid net in ‘n ander omgewing voort kan sit. Wanneer openbare belang so wyd en vaag soos in hierdie voorgestelde wysiging beskryf word, kan pensioene, huise en beleggings ook sonder enige vergoeding afgeneem word.
“Vir die ekonomie om te herstel, het die land dringend buitelandse beleggings nodig. Maar geen regdenkende beleggers sal dit oorweeg om in ‘n land te belê waar eiendom voor die voet onteien kan word nie. Ons wil dit duidelik stel dat indien die voorgestelde wetswysiging geïmplementeer word, dit katastrofies vir die land en alle Suid-Afrikaners sal wees.”
Die publiek het nog tot die einde van die maand geleentheid om oor die voorgestelde wetswysiging kommentaar te lewer. TLU SA het ‘n platform geskep waar Suid-Afrikaners oor die wet kan kommentaar lewer. Die kommentaar wat deur TLU SA se platform gelewer word sal ook deel van TLU
SA se mondelinge voorlegging aan die parlement vorm.
“Dit is van uiterste belang dat die publiek hulle teenkanting hieroor uitspreek deur deel te neem aan die proses van kommentaar,” sê mnr. Geldenhuys. “Die Onteieningswet is net die begin.”
**Die platform is beskikbaar by hierdie skakel: https://www.tlu.co.za/onteieningswet/
