Be inclusive in discussing expropriation

OUR political landscape is entering a very sensitive and painful stage of the land question.

When one begins to open a debate about land expropriation without compensation the blood will boil and tempers will flare.

I’m not going to dwell on the history, we know very well what happened to us about the land.

As a country, I think we have already passed that stage.

When we approach this matter, we should be informed of what we mean when we talk about land expropriation without compensation.

On top of that, we need to display a high-level of maturity and professionalism.

The truth of the matter is that the time has arrived for us to discuss it.

To be landless since the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck is a bit unfair and I was shocked when I learnt that there were individuals who owned vast quantities of land that could be equivalent to a country in Europe.

The land audit has been done and dusted, and I think the government needs to create a platform that will be conducive enough to discuss the land issue in a meaningful and peaceful manner.

We need that the stakeholders, landowners and traditional leaders be under the same roof when we deal with the matter.

I think if we want to politicise it we will be missing the point, as every political party will look for political glory and that will result in a catastrophe in the country.

My other fear is criminals hijacking the programme and we will be likened to Zimbabwe.

Traditional leaders should also be given a pivotal role in the process and we should not allow the politicians to run away with the process.

You will then find black individuals, mostly politicians, owning vast amounts of land, more than the government.

Those people who own vast amounts of land should enter into a form of settlement with the government. If the government can own more land than the private sector I think as a country we will kiss poverty goodbye because we will be able to implement the elevation programmes successfully.

Thereby a prosperous and peaceful South Africa will be a reality.

Aluta continua.

Mzwandile aka Pepe Nkomombini, community activist, Zwide, Port Elizabeth