Take city to court, mayor tells land-reform critics

DURBAN Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has challenged those objecting to the eThekwini Municipality’s controversial land release strategy that aims to allocate land to black people, to take their battle to the courts.

Kaunda said the municipality was willing to defend its position on the Proactive Land Release strategy policy in court, saying this policy was necessary to uplift black communities and transform the country’s economy.

The policy gives black people priority in purchasing land that has been identified by the city as excess land. Under the policy, the city would identify excess land that it would not use for development and would instead sell it to the designated group.

The aim is to benefit black businesses and reduce the waiting time for businesses and organisations looking to acquire land from the city

Previous reports on the policy have said the proactive strategy states the allocation should be to companies that are owned by black people including youth, women, those with disabilities and those who are military veterans.

The city believes that the proactive land release would assist it to achieve its development objectives and stimulate economic activity and black empowerment.

Opposition parties yesterday raised concerns during the executive committee meeting, calling for the clause that prioritises black people to be removed for fear that it might fuel tensions in communities and further strain already fragile race relations.

Kaunda said anyone suggesting that it was wrong to implement the policy was seeking to maintain the status quo that leaves black people out of the economy.

“People can take us to court if they want to, we will defend why this is necessary,” Kaunda said, adding that the ANC was duty bound to implement policies that would drive the transformation of the economy.

Kaunda said inserting that clause in the policy was necessary for transformation and to uplift those still left out of the economy, which were the country’s majority. Explaining the need for the policy, the city has previously said the policy was necessary as black people continue to be frozen out of the property sector. It said less than 10% of the property sector, which has been recorded as being worth about R5.8 trillion, can be defined as “black-owned”.

IFP councillor Mdu Nkosi had said in light of what had happened during the riots and racial tensions that emerged, the city should consider removing that barrier to avoid inflaming the situation.

“Can we remove that part about the race, we know what happened in eThekwini with certain groups unable to stay together,” he said.

This was supported by DA councillor Nicole Graham who said the clause sought to divide people on the basis of race.

“Releasing the land only to black South Africans is not morally justifiable,” adding that the land should be released to anyone in the city who can pay for it. She said the focus should be on growing the economy, so there is equal participation by all the city’s residents.

“To continue to divide the people on the basis of race is problematic, this is race-baiting, it fuels division.”