South Africa has a new law to govern the expropriation (or compulsory acquisition) of private property by government for public purposes or in the public interest.
The passing of the Expropriation Act 13 of 2024 followed a parliamentary process that began in 2020.
The act repeals the apartheid-era Expropriation Act 63 of 1975, and aims to align expropriation law with the constitution. It sets out the procedures, rules and regulations for expropriation. Besides setting out in quite a detailed fashion how expropriations are to take place, the act also provides an outline regarding how compensation is to be determined.
