President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to land restitution, amid a polarising debate about the Expropriation Act, but has promised that forced removals will never be allowed to happen again.

Ramaphosa delivered his reply to the State of the Nation debate on Thursday afternoon, placing some emphasis on the land issue.

Ramaphosa reflected on the enduring legacy of the 1913 Natives Land Act, which he said had condemned millions of black South Africans to poverty and exclusion. Quoting author and activist Solomon T. Plaatje, he described the Act as “an insidious law that rendered black South Africans pariahs in the land of their birth.”

The President emphasized that despite the devastating impact of forced removals, progress is being made in addressing these injustices. He highlighted District Six in Cape Town as a powerful symbol of hope, where families have begun returning to land that was unjustly taken from them under apartheid.

“In 1968, the apartheid regime began demolishing District Six to create a whites-only suburb. More than 60,000 people were forcibly removed, tearing apart families and destroying an entire community,” he said.

Ramaphosa also noted that over two decades, more than 3.5 million people were forcibly displaced across the country in areas such as Sophiatown, Marabastad, Cato Manor, and Kroonstad.

Acknowledging the deep scars left by land dispossession, the President assured the nation that forced removals would never be allowed again.

He stressed that the South African Constitution protects against arbitrary deprivation of property and upholds the principle of just and equitable compensation in cases of expropriation.

“Our Constitution requires the state to take reasonable measures, within its available resources, to foster conditions that enable equitable land access,” he stated.

Ramaphosa underscored the importance of unity in overcoming divisions of the past, urging South Africans to work together towards a non-racial, non-sexist society.

“We must not allow others to define us or divide us. This is a time for unity, particularly as we face global economic challenges,” he said, adding that solutions to the country’s challenges must come from within South Africa rather than external interventions.

The President also emphasized that the Government of National Unity remains resolute in its mission and will not be deterred from its path.

“We will not be bullied away from our intent to work together,” he declared, calling on South Africans to stand firm in their collective efforts to build a just and prosperous nation.

WATCH Ramaphosa’s full speech: