Lively land restitution debate at UKZN
WHILE the Expropriation Bill awaits President Jacob Zuma’s signature before it becomes law, the issue of land took centre stage at a round table discussion at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.
The robust debate, hosted by the Dr John Langalibalele Dube Institute, sparked differing views from political parties, with some saying they supported the expropriation of land without compensation, while others saying there was no need for it.
Last month, the National Assembly voted for the adoption of the bill. This was despite opposition parties voting against it. The bill sets out the rules by which the government can expropriate land in the public interest and for public purposes.
The ANC’s national executive committee member and deputy minister of Public Service and Administration, Ayanda Dlodlo, conceded that the “willing buyer, willing seller” principle had not worked which was why they were going ahead with the bill, despite some accusing the ruling party of advancing at snail’s pace.
She, however, emphasised that the returning of land to its “rightful owners” must be done within the confines of the law.
In reaction, Andile Mgxitama, the leader of the Black First, Land First organisation, called for people at ground level to mobilise themselves and take the “stolen land” back.
“What’s stopping us from taking our land back from the people who stole it. You must not wait for political parties to resolve this issue because they will take forever. Do it yourself,” he said to applause.
The DA’s spokesman on Rural Development and Land Reform, Thomas Walters, retaliated, saying, “Our policies fail, not our constitution. It’s not necessary to review the constitution,” to boos.
Marshall Dlamini, who represented the EFF, which has been vocal about the land issue, said it would not back down on its position of grabbing land without compensation. “We want to restore the dignity of our people by giving them their land back,” he said. Professor Itumeleng Mosala of the Azanian People’s Organisation who said, “Unless you repossess land, you cannot deal with the issue”.
IFP’s Professor Themba Msimang took a different path, calling for a second Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa) to deal with the issue. However, this was turned down by all parties except the DA. The Native Land Act of 1913 came under heavy scrutiny during the debate, with some parties saying they favoured the “possessors” not the “dispossessed”. The Act created a system of land tenure that deprived black people the right to own land which had social and economic repercussions.
Despite the wrangling, parties agreed there was a need to join hands in dealing with the issue.
Meanwhile, executive director of JL Dube Institute, Thandi Ngcobo pleaded for support from parties in making an official submission to Parliament requesting the review of Section 25, subsection (7), of the constitution on land restitution. It requested the legislation be amended to include claims which date prior to the stipulated 1913 cut-off.