South Africans are tired of hearing the “willing-buyer-willing-seller principle” has not worked.

The sentiment has been repeated too often without progress.

Taking over where Julius Malema left off, the ANC Youth League’s Ronald Lamola is waxing belligerent, saying land must be expropriated without compensation.

And then what? Who will make the land productive? Certainly not Lamola and his ilk. In fact there is no evidence that the majority of South Africans hanker for the farming life.

The need for food security must remain paramount. SA must retain the capacity  to feed itself. This capacity is threatened by  continued uncertainty over ownership.

One of the keys to unlocking wealth is to grant freehold title on the millions of hectares currently held in the names of tribal authorities.

If more individuals own this land, they can use it to accumulate capital and improve their circumstances.

Seizing productive private land is not the answer. Cool heads must prevail.