In Fateng Tse Ntsho, a small township in South Africa’s Free State province, thousands of Black South Africans live in crowded settlements surrounded by vast tracts of white-owned farmland. This stark contrast underscores the deep-rooted land inequalities that persist three decades after apartheid officially ended.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!To address this imbalance, President Cyril Ramaphosa recently signed a controversial expropriation act that allows the government to seize land in rare cases without compensation. The move has reignited racial tensions, with critics—including former U.S. President Donald Trump—arguing it threatens property rights. The White House even floated the idea of offering resettlement to white South African farmers.
For Black South Africans, however, the act represents a long-overdue step toward justice. The numbers tell the story: whites, who make up just 8% of the population, own nearly 75% of privately held land. Meanwhile, Black South Africans, almost 80% of the country’s 60 million people, own just 4%.
Local councillor Malefetsani Mokoena, a member of the radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), works daily to mediate disputes between Black farm dwellers and white landowners. While tensions run high, some white farmers, like Danie Bruwer, acknowledge the need for reform, though they worry about the government’s ability to support struggling farmers amid climate change, corruption, and stock theft.
For herder Shadrack Maseko, land is more than just property—it’s home. His family has lived on the same farm for over a century, but recent ownership changes have led to battles over grazing rights. “Even some of our ancestors are buried here,” he says, reflecting on the deep historical ties Black South Africans have to the land.
Legal expert Tembeka Ngcukaitobi sees the expropriation act as a necessary first step toward economic justice. However, Afriforum, a group advocating for white Afrikaner interests, warns it could open the door to land grabs.
Despite the fears, one thing is clear: the struggle for land in South Africa is far from over. This act, supporters argue, is not the final destination—it’s just the beginning of a long journey toward real freedom.
