The African National Congress has proposed a watered-down approach to land reform‚ despite President Jacob Zuma’s recent call for land expropriation without compensation to be prioritised.
The ANC’s policy discussion on economic transformation‚ which formed part of the discussion documents released to the public on Sunday‚ does not call for the expropriation of land without compensation.
Instead the document proposes that government should do away with paying “premium” prices when purchasing land for the purpose of land reform.
The party’s attitude to land reform approach was expected to be a hotly contested topic at the ANC’s policy conference‚ set to take place in June.
Zuma’s backers have adopted radical economic transformation as their campaign theme in a bid to deliver her to the highest office.
The divisions are likely to play out at the policy conference in Johannesburg as Zuma’s supporters are expected to push that land expropriation without compensation be adopted as ANC‚ therefore government‚ policy.
Zuma recently broke ranks with his party’s caucus in parliament when he suggested ANC MPs should have voted in favour of an EFF motion to amend section 25 of the Constitution to allow for expropriation without compensation.
In January the Sunday Times reported that Zuma told an ANC policy workshop that the party’s policy proposals were not radical enough and ordered that the documents be re-written.
Enoch Godongwana‚ ANC head of the NEC sub-committee on economic transformation which drafted the document‚ admitted that his party was divided on the matter.
“People have got different view points on these matters... Obviously there is going to be contestation‚” he told reporters on Sunday.
The document proposes that “just and equitable” compensation should replace the current market-based evaluations of land when government buys land for reform purposes.
It also calls for the acceleration of land reform‚ through the passing of “updated” expropriation legislation in parliament.
Last month Zuma sent back to parliament the expropriation bill‚ which is aimed at allowing government to expropriate land of public use.
Parliament’s justice and constitutional development committee said the bill would be dealt with on an urgent basis.
Godongwana said the bill should have covered how government manage land speculation‚ unused land and distressed farmers.
“Maybe as part of expropriation act we should have said‚ how do you handle speculation of land‚ un-utilised land‚ distressed farmers. What then has happened is that distressed farmers have sold to the Americans. They have not sold to the state because we don’t have a legislative framework. If you ask me I would have had a legislation which says the state must have a first right of refusal. That’s radical isn’t it?‚” he said.
- TMG Digital
ANC steers clear of expropriation of land without compensation
The African National Congress has proposed a watered-down approach to land reform‚ despite President Jacob Zuma’s recent call for land expropriation without compensation to be prioritised.
The ANC’s policy discussion on economic transformation‚ which formed part of the discussion documents released to the public on Sunday‚ does not call for the expropriation of land without compensation.
Instead the document proposes that government should do away with paying “premium” prices when purchasing land for the purpose of land reform.
The party’s attitude to land reform approach was expected to be a hotly contested topic at the ANC’s policy conference‚ set to take place in June.
Zuma’s backers have adopted radical economic transformation as their campaign theme in a bid to deliver her to the highest office.
The divisions are likely to play out at the policy conference in Johannesburg as Zuma’s supporters are expected to push that land expropriation without compensation be adopted as ANC‚ therefore government‚ policy.
Zuma recently broke ranks with his party’s caucus in parliament when he suggested ANC MPs should have voted in favour of an EFF motion to amend section 25 of the Constitution to allow for expropriation without compensation.
In January the Sunday Times reported that Zuma told an ANC policy workshop that the party’s policy proposals were not radical enough and ordered that the documents be re-written.
Enoch Godongwana‚ ANC head of the NEC sub-committee on economic transformation which drafted the document‚ admitted that his party was divided on the matter.
“People have got different view points on these matters... Obviously there is going to be contestation‚” he told reporters on Sunday.
The document proposes that “just and equitable” compensation should replace the current market-based evaluations of land when government buys land for reform purposes.
It also calls for the acceleration of land reform‚ through the passing of “updated” expropriation legislation in parliament.
Last month Zuma sent back to parliament the expropriation bill‚ which is aimed at allowing government to expropriate land of public use.
Parliament’s justice and constitutional development committee said the bill would be dealt with on an urgent basis.
Godongwana said the bill should have covered how government manage land speculation‚ unused land and distressed farmers.
“Maybe as part of expropriation act we should have said‚ how do you handle speculation of land‚ un-utilised land‚ distressed farmers. What then has happened is that distressed farmers have sold to the Americans. They have not sold to the state because we don’t have a legislative framework. If you ask me I would have had a legislation which says the state must have a first right of refusal. That’s radical isn’t it?‚” he said.
- TMG Digital
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos