PRETORIA — The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) has firmly reaffirmed its commitment to the Government of National Unity (GNU), declaring that the party will not back down from its governing role despite rising political tensions surrounding the newly signed Expropriation Act. As the Democratic Alliance (DA) prepares to challenge the constitutionality of the land legislation in court, the PAC maintains that its presence in the coalition is non-negotiable and rooted in what it describes as “superior logic.”
Addressing the party’s stance within the coalition government, PAC leadership emphasized that no national decisions should be made without their involvement. “There should absolutely be nothing in this country that should be done without the PAC,” party representatives stated, asserting their right to be involved in all issues affecting communities and the nation. The party dismissed any intimidation from coalition partners, explicitly noting that they “don’t fear the Freedom Front Plus” or the DA, collectively or individually, because they believe their ideological foundation remains stronger.
Rather than opposing the Expropriation Act outright, the PAC argues that the current legislation does not go far enough. The party has promised to introduce a new, more aggressive land reform bill. Party officials acknowledge that pushing this new legislation will inevitably spark further legal and political disputes within the GNU. They pointed to past coalition friction over the budget, VAT, and the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act as evidence that internal disagreements are a normal part of the coalition’s function. Furthermore, while acknowledging that the President has already signed the Expropriation Act into law and that interpretations of “public interest” vary, the PAC noted that no actual cases of illegal land grabs have been cited thus far.
Beyond legislative battles, the PAC strongly condemned the recent desecration and vandalism of the grave of Pan Africanist pioneer Robert Sobukwe, who died and was buried in 1978. The party suggests the vandalism is a targeted reaction driven by individuals with personal agendas opposing the renaming of Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town. In a startling claim, PAC officials suggested that detractors are attempting to exhume Sobukwe’s skull to exhibit it elsewhere as a “point of victory” simply because the local community successfully submitted and agreed to rename the area in his honor.
Looking ahead to the 2026 Local Government Elections, the PAC has officially unveiled its mayoral candidates and declared its readiness to campaign. However, the party insists it will not enter into any municipal coalition arrangements merely to secure political positions. “We are not contesting this election simply to increase our numbers of councilors,” the party declared. Instead, their goal is to win outright political authority, govern municipalities directly, and prove that public institutions can effectively serve the people once again. The party is scheduled to officially launch its election manifesto in Soshanguve later this month.
