Dear Friend of the IRR,

The right to own property is a cornerstone of any free, democratic, prosperous society.

Recently, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has completely disregarded property rights by voting in favour of the Expropriation Bill, a piece of legislation that empowers the state to expropriate property without compensation. One step remains: if President Ramaphosa signs the Bill, it becomes law.

We at the IRR have always stood firm in calling for the Expropriation Bill to be rejected and we continue to oppose it, especially now that it has passed through the NCOP. We have written a petition to President Ramaphosa to urge him not to sign the Bill because its provision for expropriation without compensation (EWC) is unconstitutional.

What does EWC mean for SA's economy?

The Expropriation Bill in its current form will strike a deathblow to the South African economy.

It has an open list of “relevant circumstances” under which the state may seize property without compensating the owner who has committed no crime. This means there is a risk that the government could take your home, business, or any other property without compensation for virtually any reason.

EWC will kill economic growth and investment, placing any hope of economic recovery for South Africa firmly out of reach.

Property rights are a human right

The Expropriation Bill will not only destroy the South African economy, but it will also undermine the human rights of all South Africans. EWC violates the Rule of Law and Bill of Rights, and fails any basic test of rationality. The NCOP has shown that the ANC government disregards property rights, which means it disregards freedom and democracy.

With your support, the IRR will continue to stand firm in our defence of property rights for all South Africans, as we have done since our formation in 1929.

The IRR previously led a lobby against proposed changes to the Constitution which would have stripped South Africans of their property rights. We were successful in preventing this change and we will once again be fighting for your property rights.

We will continue monitoring the passage of the Expropriation Bill and will consult our legal team on the next steps to combat it. Encourage your friends and family to join us as Friends of the IRR to support us in our fight against EWC.

Live Free. Prosper.