South African Public Opinion On Expropriation Without Compensation
This report explores South African public opinion on the policy of expropriation without compensation. The data in the report comes from a survey of 1 004 demographically and geographically representative registered voters conducted by the Foundation during February of 2025. That survey had a margin of error of 4%. Totals may not add up to 100% where respondents refused to answer a question.
The national government can be trusted to expropriate land, without paying the owner any compensation for it, because it has a proven track record of upholding the public interest.
By race
The national government can be trusted to expropriate land, without paying the owner any compensation for it, because it has a proven track record of upholding the public interest.
By education
The national government can be trusted to expropriate land, without paying the owner any compensation for it, because it has a proven track record of upholding the public interest.
By income
The national government can be trusted to expropriate land, without paying the owner any compensation for it, because it has a proven track record of upholding the public interest.
By party affiliation
Expropriating land in the public interest, without paying the owner any compensation for it, is a good economic idea.
By race
Expropriating land in the public interest, without paying the owner any compensation for it, is a good economic idea.
By education
Expropriating land in the public interest, without paying the owner any compensation for it, is a good economic idea.
By income
Expropriating land in the public interest, without paying the owner any compensation for it, is a good economic idea.
By party affiliation
If the national government starts expropriating large amounts of land in the public interest, without paying the owners any compensation, this will not harm investment or confidence among foreign investors.
By race
If the national government starts expropriating large amounts of land in the public interest, without paying the owners any compensation, this will not harm investment or confidence among foreign investors.
By education
If the national government starts expropriating large amounts of land in the public interest, without paying the owners any compensation, this will not harm investment or confidence among foreign investors.
By income
If the national government starts expropriating large amounts of land in the public interest, without paying the owners any compensation, this will not harm investment or confidence among foreign investors.
By party affiliation
TENTATIVE CONCLUSIONS
The data demonstrates that across all three questions approximately two thirds of South African voters are opposed to the policy of expropriation without compensation. Specifically, voters do not do not trust the government to expropriate property, they do not think it is a good economic idea and they believe it will harm investment levels in the country. These findings are in line with previous Foundation results that highlighted that most South Africans are hostile to racial nationalist or economically populist policies. The Foundation would suggest that this disconnect between the policy agenda of the South African government and the stated preferences of South African voters was a primary contributing factor to the collapse of ANC vote share in the May 2024 National election and it has continued to contribute to the loss of voters that the ANC is still undergoing.
