Economic Freedom Fighters Reject The R1 Billion Land Purchase By The South African Government
August 05, 2013
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is appalled by the revelations that the Minister of Land Reform, Mr Gugile Nkwinti has entered into a deal with the land owners of MalaMala Reserve to pay them a shocking R1-billion for land restitution purposes (see Sunday Times report). This amount takes an unreasonable large percentage of the land restitution budget. This deal is economically unsustainable, politically unacceptable and in the long run sets a precedent with massive negative social consequences for our people.
EFF calls on the government to immediately end the deal and return the land to the rightful owners and give part of the money it wanted to pay to the current owners to the community for sustainable use of their land. There is no excuse to wait anymore. The government knows who the beneficiaries are and there is no dispute over their right over the land, which was taken from them through illegal means.
The MalaMala deal is simply evil and indefensible. The government has, with this land deal institutionalised corruption and legitimised illegal activity. It is a known factor that all land currently held by white farmers is stolen property which must still be returned to the people and the historical injustice be redressed. The government is now encouraging sales of stolen property at exorbitant princes and thereby benefiting twice those who benefitted from colonialism and apartheid land dispossession. EFF reject in totality this process and the very idea that tax payer's money can be used in this reckless fashion. We can't buy back our land!
Government has been lying to the nation saying it has ended the "willing buyer- willing seller" land reform process. Truth is we are still buying our land at market value. This is the main reason 20 years after democracy there is no land redistribution to our people. EFF says only land expropriation without compensation is the answer to redress the racially skewed land ownership patters in South Africa. The land ownership of our country is racist and anti black. 20 years since democracy still only 50 000 white families and trusts own more than 80% of the land. Government is refusing to redress this imbalance; instead it's involved in further entrenching white privileges.
The MalaMala land deal proves the assertion that the ANC government is practicing apartheid still against black people. In restitution cases where black are paid financial compensation, our people are forces to take a "standard settlement offer", which is a flat rate of current prices of serviced site in a place. Our people are not compensated for loss of surface property, lost community life, pain and suffering. The consequences are at times families end up receiving a few thousand Rands. But white land owners are paid at market value, they are not forced to take any "standard settlement offer" they end up being paid millions and now billions. This must stop NOW.
The EFF believes that there is no moral, political, ethical or economic reasons that justify the continuation of the MalaMala deal. Government must expropriate the land without compensation and give the R1-billion to the community for development. This is the only acceptable course of action. The EFF condemns with the contempt it deserves the ANC government's promotion of illegal activity through promoting sales of stolen property. End the MalaMala land deal NOW!
Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, August 5 2013
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