Fierce debate on land bid

‘Let it be the day of black unity in name of Robert Sobukwe’

THE National Assembly has given the go-ahead for section 25 of the constitution to be amended to give effect to government policy of expropriating land without compensation. In a heated debate in the House, the ANC and the EFF were on the same page, along with some smaller parties.

“Today, let it be the day of black unity in the name of Robert Sobukwe,” said EFF leader Julius Malema, opening the debate on the day, 40 years ago, that PAC founder Robert Sobukwe died.

“All our people ever wanted was their land to which their dignity is rooted.”

Malema rejected notions that it would be unconstitutional to amend the constitution. “Our people must get the land. We offer the ANC 6% to amend the constitution. Those who don’t agree will continue to ridicule our struggle because they don’t know the pain of losing land.”

Former minister of rural development and land reform Gugile Nkwinti, now Water and Sanitation Minister, said a recent land audit showed that whites, despite being the smallest population group in the country, owned more than 70% of the land. Coloureds owned 15%, Indians 5%, and black Africans, by far the majority, only 4%.

African People’s Convention MP Themba Godi welcomed the way MPs handled themselves during the debate, saying they were “sowing the seeds for black solidarity”.

“We know that landlessness is the basis for the racism our people suffer, the basis of poverty our people suffer, the basis of our humiliation.”

Agang SA’s Molapi Plouamma said: “Unlike in other countries where they choose arms, we use constitutional mechanisms.”

The DA said there was already a land redistribution programme in place, and suggested the government was not doing enough to implement it. DA chief whip John Steenhuisen called the decision to change the section 25 of the Constitution as “lazy short cuts to resolve the problem”.

The ACDP said it was concerned that land reform could be open to government abuse.

Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald said this was not just about farm land. “It will be all land, whether you live in a town or on a farm.” The resolution was put to a vote, with 241 voting in favour of amending property clauses, while 83 voted against. – African News Agency (ANA)