ANC moves on land expropriation

South Africa’s ruling party has decided to complete a proposed amendment to the nation’s constitution to make it clearer under what conditions land can be expropriated without compensation.

This brings the African National Congress closer to the populist Economic Freedom Fighters party, after the ANC said earlier expropriation will only be done in a manner that doesn’t harm the economy, agricultural production or food security. In May, the party said the government should test the nation’s current laws on land because it may not be necessary to change the constitution to ensure expropriation without payment.

The purpose of the amendment is to promote redress, advance economic development, increase agricultural production and food security, the ANC said.

Lawmakers started a process to change the constitution to allow for expropriation without compensation in February after the ANC decided last year to adopt the measure to speed up giving black people more land. Access to land is one of the symbols of inequality in the nation of about 56 million where wealth and poverty are largely divided along racial lines.

Public hearings about the proposal started last month.

While the constitution’s property clause currently allows the state to expropriate land with just and equitable compensation and also expropriate without compensation in the public interest ‘‘it has become patently clear that our people want the constitution be more explicit about expropriation of land without compensation, as demonstrated in the public hearings,’’ President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

Proposals to change the constitution had raised concern among some investors that it signalled a shift to a radical land-reform strategy and fears of Zimbabwestyle farm seizures.

The rand erased gains against the dollar after yesterday’s announcement.

The ANC will contest national elections next year in the first ballot since the opposition won control of several key municipalities, including the biggest and richest city, Johannesburg, and the capital, Pretoria, in 2016.

‘‘This is a surprising and premature announcement by the ANC because parliament is still in its review process on changing the constitution,’’ Lawson Naidoo, executive director of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution, said.

The ANC also wants the government to urgently implement a ‘‘stimulus package’’ to boost economic growth and create jobs, including increased investment in infrastructure and support for small businesses, while not jeopardising the budget.

Africa’s most-industrialised economy has not expanded at more than 2 per cent annually since 2013 and unemployment is near a 15-year high at 27 per cent. – Bloomberg