The DA has shot down a proposal by Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso of amending the Constitution to allow land expropriation without compensation.
The DA’s member of the Land Reform and Rural Development Portfolio Committee, Mlindi Nhanha, said Nyhontso’s proposal was counter-productive and contrary to the spirit of the Statement of Intent (SOI) which underpinned the Government of National Unity (GNU).
“The DA is committed to defend the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights in its entirety,” Nhanha said.
He said Parliament had rejected proposals to amend Section 25 of the Constitution and that any attempt to re-open the matter would result in “economic instability”.
The DA member said any idea that Section 25 was a barrier to land reform was untrue, and that the current clause made provision for just and equitable land reform to proceed.
“South Africa needs a rational and pragmatic approach to land reform within the parameters of our Constitution. Meaningful redress can occur within this framework, as we simultaneously stabilise the economy and attract job-creating investment.”
However, Nyhontso revealed that the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) had prepared a departmental strategy for the GNU to consider within the context of land dispossession in order to illustrate a system which had resulted in vast inequalities in land ownership and rural development.
“Addressing these issues is critical to achieving social justice, economic growth, and sustainable development,” he said.
Advocating for the expropriation of land without compensation and the amendment of land rights is the African for Transformation Movement (ATM), which urged the Land Reform minister to quickly implement the land expropriation without compensation as a way of redeeming itself for joining the GNU.
ATM president Vuyo Zungula said native South Africans could not afford property in their own country because of the wealthy foreigners that were driving property prices up.
“There’s a perception out there that the PAC has sold out, a perception that the PAC is serving in Cabinet with the right-wingers, serving with the same people who opposed the abolition of apartheid.
“The only way the PAC will redeem itself is by returning land to its rightful owners. We want to support you as ATM by saying use the power that has been bestowed upon you by the president,” Zungula said.
He proposed that only South Africans should own land in the country.
“If we don’t correct that, we run the risk of our children being more landless than we are now. It is our view now that we have high food prices in our country which is a results of few farmers who are responsible for food supply.”
Independent political analyst GoodEnough Mashigo said the state needed to first give away land in its position.
“If government wants to make an example or case study, they can start with the land they have instead of starting with expropriation. The whole concept of ANC resolution of expropriation without compensation is that you cannot start expropriating before actually starting with what you have which you do not have ownership,” Mashigo said.
He further said the state-owned land was land owned by the public. It meant the public in South Africa already owned five million hectares.
The Star