New cracks in South Africa's unity government

The second-largest party in South Africa's unity government warned Tuesday that its cooperation should not be taken for granted after the president signed a land seizure bill without consultation.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) joined the African National Congress in a government of unity (GNU) after the ANC lost its long-held majority in elections in May.

"I must make it very clear, and no one must be under any doubt, that we will not be taken for granted, we will not be reduced to being spectators," DA leader John Steenhuisen told reporters.

The "day that we cannot have an influence on growing the economy and creating jobs will be the day that our future involvement with the GNU will have to be questioned," he said.

The business-friendly party is angered by the signing into law last week by President Cyril Ramaphosa of a bill that stipulates the government may, in certain circumstances, offer "nil compensation" for property it decides to expropriate in the public interest.

The DA says it "strongly opposes" the law and is considering legal action.

The presidency argues the bill does not allow the government to expropriate property arbitrarily and is first obliged to attempt to reach agreement with the owner.

However, some groups fear a situation similar to the Zimbabwe government's seizure of white-owned commercial farms, often without compensation, after independence in 1980.

Land ownership is a contentious issue in South Africa with most farmland still owned by white people three decades after the end of apartheid.

South Africa's 10-party unity government has been credited with bringing some stability to the country but has been dogged by quarrels over an education bill, national insurance scheme, foreign policy and local government.

Steenhuisen said he hoped the latest row "is cause for a reset in the relations within the GNU and that there will be some consideration now given to the views, thoughts and opinions of all parties".

The DA would not take any decision to quit the unity government lightly, he said, with the "red line" being any violation of the constitution or moves that would harm the economy.