Women’s league, ANC at odds

The African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) yesterday said it was seeking an audience with its mother body, the African National Congress (ANC), to “understand the rationale” of the party’s parliament caucus for opposing expropriation of land without compensation.

The party’s chief whip Jackson Mthembu on Tuesday said the ANC does not agree with any form of land expropriation without compensation in the country.

He was responding to a motion tabled by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the National Assembly calling for the amendment of the constitution to accelerate land transformation.

The ANC chief whip said the EFF’s motion was misplaced and overlooked programmes and reviews that were under way.

Reacting to the ANC stance, the ANCWL said it will seek audience with ANC to fully understand the rationale of the ANC parliament caucus on its decision during the debate on the amendment of section 25 of the constitution.

The women’s league said during the response to the State of the Nation address, President Jacob Zuma explicitly indicated that the ANC-led government has the interest of the people at heart, and will do all in its powers to ensure land is returned to them.

“The ANCWL believes that there should not be any iota of incoherence between ANC resolutions and ANC-led government programmes. Land redistribution is an ANC programme and must be implemented as such without fear or favour,” said the women’s league. – ANA