Elections 2026: What the ANC, DA, EFF and MK party say on land

With weeks to go before the local government elections on 4 November, South Africans continue debating who to vote for, as some say they intend to switch political homes for various reasons.

No party is perfect, but voters may choose one based on one or two policies that resonate with them. For some, a party’s immigration policy may matter more, while others care more about its education policy.

Here’s how the ANC, DA, EFF and MK party seek to break the deadlock on land.

The issue of land in South Africa is a contentious one, evoking painful memories of the past and anger in those who were dispossessed by the apartheid regime and fear in those who have benefited from the status quo. The court postponed the case because not all legal teams had the opportunity to present their arguments. Here’s what the four biggest political parties say on this issue.

ANC

The ANC’s policy aims to correct historical dispossession by accelerating land reform and redistribution, including expropriation without compensation in appropriate circumstances. However, it retains different forms of land ownership to avoid redistributions and restitutions that do not generate aggregate net benefits in livelihoods, employment and income from farming.

EFF

Under the EFF’s policy, no one will lose their house as a result of expropriation without compensation.

A house consists of immovable property that is a product of an individual’s labour and should not be taken by the state.

DA

For the DA, land reform faces challenges due to inefficiency, corruption and unclear policies.

Many South Africans, especially those historically disadvantaged, remain landless or lack secure tenure.

Commercially viable farms must not be targeted for expropriation or redistribution either, unless there is a strong case for doing so. The party’s policy advocates for establishing guidelines for the state to lease land to citizens for various purposes, based on a comprehensive national development plan.

MK party

Land dispossession in South Africa stripped indigenous populations of their dignity and assets, reducing them to exploitation as labourers for Western colonisers.

The party’s policy advocates for establishing guidelines for the state to lease land to citizens for various purposes.