Zuma is out of order on land expropriation
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma’s latest dangerous populist foray shows desperation and incomprehension. Zuma chose the opening of the National House of Traditional Leaders in Cape Town on Friday to pronounce himself in favour of changing the constitution to make expropriation of land without compensation possible.
This reckless man, who has caused so much harm to the country already, is seemingly unaware that the ANC voted against such a proposal in parliament on Tuesday when it was brought as a motion by the EFF.
The ANC has never been in favour of expropriation without compensation. The constitution does not permit it. The Expropriation Bill does not propose it. His state of the nation address focused elsewhere.
This is hardly surprising as there are good reasons for the protection of property rights.
Without the guarantee of property rights, it would be senseless to acquire property in South Africa, whether as a foreign investor or a local buying a first home or a first plot of urban land.
It would be senseless because without the guarantee of property rights, property is worthless and only a fool or a complete ignoramus would purchase it.
But this is our president — a man whose growing legacy of putting himself, his family and his cronies before the national interest leaves little doubt about who will benefit from expropriation.
The only step needed for radical economic transformation to succeed in property is — as Deputy Public Works Minister Jeremy Cronin correctly noted in parliament on Tuesday — for the constitution to be implemented correctly.
Zuma need look no further than the mirror to see whose lack of leadership has left the land policy a shambles. The corruption and maladministration of the land restitution and redistribution programme is a national disgrace, and it is on his head as the leader.
The state’s model is skewed, functioning as it does without a land audit of changing patterns of ownership and without acknowledgement of agricultural realities such as the importance of economy of scale for food security, climatic differences and differing carrying capacity of land.
The ANC needs to call the president to order. His populism is dangerous.