South Africa’s largest organised farmers’ body will keep an eye on the ANC’s plans to target 139 farms in test cases for expropriation without compensation and will go to the Constitutional Court if necessary, it says.

On Sunday, City Press reported that the ANC had identified 139 farms to be expropriated without compensation in the coming weeks in an attempt to test section 25 of the Constitution.

“Agri SA will closely monitor this situation and will be involved in test cases where principles of compensation will be clarified,” Dan Kriek, Agri SA’s president said in a statement on Monday.

“Agri SA has already been involved in such matters and will not hesitate to do it again. It is the courts’ duty to interpret legislation and the Constitution.”

Agri SA’s priority is to get more clarity on which farms will be targeted.

It says the principle of compensation for expropriation is recognised internationally, although there are different standards for remuneration. Internationally, expropriation without compensation is only permitted in very limited circumstances.

“It would be extremely unfair and unacceptable to target farmers, who use land productively to feed the people of South Africa, by taking away their property without compensating them,” said Kriek.

Agri SA will go to the Constitutional Court, if necessary, to defend the principles of equity and protection of the rights of the individual, reads the statement.