South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved a new land law. This law could allow the state to expropriate some private land without paying the owners. This decision has caused a big political stir.
The law, called the Expropriation Act, is not active yet. It has drawn strong criticism, notably from former US President Donald Trump, who views it as discriminatory against white farmers. Many political groups in South Africa are also opposed to it, planning to challenge its legality in court.
Ramaphosa's government argues that the law usually provides compensation for land. They say changes are necessary to increase black ownership of land. Historically, most private farmland in South Africa has been owned by white people, a legacy of the apartheid system. Previous land reform efforts were too slow and costly, according to critics.
Legal experts say land could be taken without compensation mainly for "public interest" or for land reform. This could happen if an owner was not using the land or had abandoned it. However, they believe that productive farming land would still require some form of compensation. The new rules aim for "just-and-equitable" compensation, rather than the higher "market value" paid previously.