WATCH: Malema ignites debate in parliament on land expropriation without compensation
In the wake of the ANC changing its own policy on the matter, the EFF has tabled a motion to make land expropriation without compensation a reality.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema speaks in Parliament during the municipal elections debate on August 23, 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images / Beeld / Lulama Zenzile)
EFF leader Julius Malema tabled a motion on land expropriation without compensation in parliament this afternoon.
He spoke passionately about how Jan van Riebeeck allegedly introduced an attitude in the 1600s that black people could not be considered the owners of land in South Africa, as they were “like animals” and could not produce title deeds.
Malema has called on black South Africans to stand together on this issue, describing it as “constitutional to change the constitution” and “return the land”.
If the ANC and EFF combine their seats in parliament they will have a two-thirds majority to change the constitution and adapt the section on property rights.
The EFF wanted an ad-hoc committee to review and amend section 25 of the constitution to make such expropriation legal, although they accepted the ANC’s suggestion that there should instead be a constitutional review over coming months.
Malema couched this as a necessary step to return dignity to black people and change the dynamic of them being “beggars” in South Africa.
Instead of paying compensation to white owners of land, he described this as unnecessary, as the land was allegedly acquired illegally, and to support compensation would therefore be to support a crime. The time for reconciliation had passed, and it was now time for justice.
The ANC has reportedly said that although they agree with the EFF in principle, they disagree on some of the “modalities” of how expropriation should happen.
Congress of the People leader Mosiuoa Lekota warned against the motion, saying it sent the message that white people were not considered South Africans and that the EFF and the other political parties who were supporting them were seeking to “dominate whites”, which could not be considered the route towards social equality.
The Freedom Front Plus warned against “unforeseen consequences” if the law was changed. They pointed out that “all land”, including in towns and cities could be expropriated, and that it would not be limited to agricultural land.
The DA pointed out that land reform with compensation had not been the primary hurdle to meaningful land reform and that land often constituted only 10% of the value of a farm and its operations. They had concerns about the billions in debt that would become an issue if land were simply taken away. They questioned the apparent “obsession” with private land.
The ANC expressed support for expropriation without compensation, along with other parties such as the National Freedom Party and the United Democratic Movement.
The African Christian Democratic Party warned against legal “aberrations” that could occur if property were expropriated without compensation. They said two wrongs could not make a right, and ownership of land being solely in the hands of the state would destroy the economy.
Watch the full video below from the debate in parliament today.
In a tweet on Tuesday morning, ANC national executive committee member Tony Yengeni apparently revealed that the ANC caucus has been instructed to support the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) after they put forward a motion in parliament on the expropriation of land without compensation for equal redistribution.
Yengeni said this was because the policy had been adopted by the ruling party at its elective conference in December. He declared that the DA and “white monopoly capital” were in “big big trouble”.
