South Africa’s government laid out conditions on Sunday for when land might be confiscated without reimbursement, saying a new law submitted to parliament would pass constitutional muster and reassure investors unnerved about property rights.

The law would allow land to be confiscated without reimbursement in certain cases if it is unused, abandoned or poses a safety risk, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille told a news conference.

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“The bill brings certainty to South Africans and investors because it clearly outlines how expropriation can be done,” she said.

“The bill outlines circumstances when it may be just and equitable for nil compensation to be paid. It does not prescribe that nil compensation will be paid in all circumstances.”

Land is one of the most emotive issues in South Africa, where most privately owned land remains in white hands more than two decades after the end of apartheid.

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