TAU history upside down

THE land question has become the dominant debate in our social and political discourse with organisations such as the Transvaal Agricultural Union (TAU) dubbing the call as “a declaration of war” and “theft”.

Well, it is unfortunate for TAU to view wanting what is rightfully yours as “a declaration of war” and “theft”. In fact history has it the other way round – white farmers stole the land from its rightful owners through the barrel of the gun.

This expropriation of land without compensation motion calls into question the constitutional settlement and provokes both triumphal delight and defensive anxiety as South Africans revert to polarised positions on land and property, and correctly so. Hence a constitutional review committee comprising different political parties has been established to “review and amend section 25 of the constitution to make it possible for the state to expropriate land in the public interest without compensation”.

To me this exercise is just a waste of time because the constitution already makes it possible to do so and thus the amendment is not needed.

What is needed is for the state to just expropriate the land. If it is “just and equitable” that compensation be set at zero, that is allowed under the existing clause. The litmus test is what is just and equitable in a given case.

This is a reality that has been glossed over in the populist push towards blaming the constitution for political failure. — Mzwandile Mrabe, Dordrecht