The expropriation bill of 2020 was passed by parliament in March and needs only President Cyril Ramaphosa’s assent to become law. However, under section 79 of the constitution the president may not sign a bill into law if he “has reservations about its constitutionality”. Instead, he must refer it “back to the National Assembly for reconsideration”.
The faiths and high hopes that a young Mandlakayise John Hlophe carried from KwaDukuza via Cambridge and finally as Judge President of the Western Cape, appear to underpin the lack of appetite for more than a decade to hold him accountable.