POLITICS

Constitutional change would be fatal to food security - TAU-SA

Louis Meintjes warns also of danger of re-opening land claims

Change of Constitution will be fatal

TAU SA is shocked by the announcement of the Minister of Rural Development and Reform, Gugile Nkwinti's that government is willing to amend the Constitution for the sake of land reform.

Mr. Louis Meintjes, President of TAU SA, said that contradictory messages are sent out, but eventually with a single outcome, namely the expropriation of land. Mr. Meintjes was referring to the recently released Green Paper on land reform.  Several processes are currently running to discuss the Green Paper and for public comments. "If government has already decided to change the Constitution, why is it in any way necessary to deal with the Green Paper?" asked Mr. Meintjes.

Mr. Meintjes also pointed out the danger of re-opening land claims together with a change of the Constitution can result in farmers losing their land to unsubstantiated land claims.

Changing the Constitution to forcefully implement land reform, opens the door of affecting any form of property rights. This will be the end of the free market system and will put South Africa on the road to socialism in its ultimate form, namely communism, with all its negative consequences, including food shortages which will be one of the first consequences.

Statement issued by TAU SA, September 21 2011

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