POLITICS

95 000 join fight against EWC – Pieter Groenewald

FF Plus says right of ownership is sacred and forms the foundation of democracy and the free market

95 000 join the FF Plus in fighting back against expropriation without compensation

28 February 2020

A further 95 000 people from across South Africa have joined the FF Plus in the party's latest "Fight Back" campaign against expropriation without compensation.

In a previous campaign, more than 100 000 people joined the FF Plus in objecting to the proposed policy of expropriation without compensation.

The FF Plus created a special web page where the public can comment on the ANC government's intention to amend Section 25 of the Constitution to make provision for expropriation without compensation.

The web page's address is: http://www.fightbacksa.org.za/fight-back-sa/

Some of the objections that the FF Plus received include:

"The right of ownership is sacred and forms the foundation of democracy and the free market. Property only means something if it has value. Expropriation without compensation undermines this fundamental concept. I am absolutely opposed to the amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution of South Africa";

"I am not opposed to land reform, but I am opposed to land reform without compensation"; and

"It is inhumane to take our land from us without compensation. I am a pensioner and worked hard for my land and other possessions. Without compensation for the land, we have nowhere else to go. I worked hard my whole life to reap the fruits in my old age".

Although the process of public participation only ends tomorrow, earlier today the FF Plus handed the 95 000 petitions of protest to Parliament's ad-hoc committee which is tasked with investigating the possible amendment of Section 25 and to make recommendations.

Any amendments to the Constitution to make expropriation without compensation possible will severely damage South Africa's economy and all South Africans will be deprived of their property rights in the process.

The right of ownership is an internationally recognised basic human right and it must be protected by the South African Constitution in accordance with the Bill of Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations (UN).

The FF Plus is of the opinion that the process of land reform is being sabotaged by corruption and administrative incompetence and not by the principle of willing seller, willing buyer.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 28 February 2020