Act may be good in theory but could turn out to be bad in practice
13 February 2025 - 15:17
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Advocate and land reform specialist Tembeka Ngcukaitobi is right; the Expropriation Act does have the potential to be a good law (“New Expropriation Act is a promising start”, February 13).
Unfortunately, economics and finance look to be at risk when investing. The perception of investors and/or owners of property and, perhaps more importantly, potential owners of property is that the state’s power has been increased significantly and that “my property” can be taken all too easily.
Perhaps “my property” is an illusion, but the loan or opportunity risk of owning something else are not. Hence we will have even less foreign direct investment, employment and growth as the risk or perceived risk of property ownership has just gone up another notch.
So, the Expropriation Act has the more obvious risk of being a good law in theory, and a bad law in practice.
Dermot Quinn Via BusinessLIVE
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Expropriation adds to SA risks
Act may be good in theory but could turn out to be bad in practice
Advocate and land reform specialist Tembeka Ngcukaitobi is right; the Expropriation Act does have the potential to be a good law (“New Expropriation Act is a promising start”, February 13).
Unfortunately, economics and finance look to be at risk when investing. The perception of investors and/or owners of property and, perhaps more importantly, potential owners of property is that the state’s power has been increased significantly and that “my property” can be taken all too easily.
Perhaps “my property” is an illusion, but the loan or opportunity risk of owning something else are not. Hence we will have even less foreign direct investment, employment and growth as the risk or perceived risk of property ownership has just gone up another notch.
So, the Expropriation Act has the more obvious risk of being a good law in theory, and a bad law in practice.
Dermot Quinn
Via BusinessLIVE
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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