We will expropriate white land - Malema

'They did not buy it from us'

ANC Youth League president Julius Malema yesterday reiterated his promise to expropriate land from whites without compensation.

This, Malema said, would ease the government's burden of providing millions of South Africans with houses nearer their places of work.

Addressing residents of Stjwetla informal settlement in Alexandra, northern Johannesburg, Malema said it was unfair to expect the government to buy land from whites when they (the whites) did not buy the land from black people (during colonialism and apartheid).

He told the estimated 400-strong crowd that strong leadership was needed to pursue this objective and build houses for people near their places of work.

"We need fearless leaders who will tell these whites that we are putting our people here for free.

"We have to buy land from whites when they did not even buy land from us.

"This is confirmation that we must get the land for free," Malema said.

He told the crowd that he wanted Alexandra township to be refurbished "to allow people like me who live in Sandton to come over on weekends".

He said black people living in Sandton lived "uncomfortably" because whites did not want them there.

Aside from Malema's comments, the serious issue of housing took centre stage.

Residents complained about the slow delivery of houses to Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, provincial human settlements MEC Humphrey Mmemezi as well as Minister of Human Settlements Tokyo Sexwale, who were also in attendance.

Mmemezi was shouted and booed off the stage after telling residents he would only return to address their grievances after the local government elections, which take place on May 18.

Mokonyane rescued the situation when she announced that R12million had been set aside to buy "no less than 12 hectares of land" in Linbro Park and Marlboro West, where the residents of Stjwetla informal settlement and other parts of Alexandra were expected to be moved.

However, the residents got a tongue-lashing from Sexwale, who castigated RDP house recipients for selling them to foreigners and then moving back into shacks.

"When we give you houses, don't sell them. That is my order," Sexwale said.

The minister also criticised the residents for choosing to live next to the Jukskei River.

"We (the ANC) did not put our people next to the river. That is not us," he said.

Sexwale asked the residents to give him a date when he would provide them with feedback.