Wednesday, 12 August 2026

The Expropriation Act showdown centred on whether section 25 allows nil compensation in some cases, with critics warning the draft gives the state too much discretion and could punish land reform beneficiaries.

The president’s legal team and the court guests said any defects in section 19 and other parts of the bill could be cured by reading in or striking specific wording, rather than killing the whole statute.

Callers and panelists described SAPS as a national legitimacy crisis: public trust has fallen to 22%, many stations refuse or neglect cases, and communities say dockets disappear or investigations go nowhere.

SAPU said the rot is worsened by under-resourced stations, poor management and weak discipline, while members also complained about stalled promotions, bad buildings, and agreements not being implemented properly.

Alexander residents, youth and civic groups spent two days cleaning illegal dumping hotspots, and city leaders said the campaign will keep running beyond the strike and beyond election season to restore civic pride.