Julius Malema makes Lekota see red at land hearings

28 June 2018 - 12:44
By Theto Mahlakoana
Leader of the EFF Julius Malema.
Image: Alaister Russell Leader of the EFF Julius Malema.

Congress of the People leader Mosiuoa Lekota has criticised the land expropriation public hearings process in Limpopo‚ saying it is being “stage managed” by the EFF.

He was speaking to Business Day on the sidelines of the hearings into potential amendments to Section 25 of the constitution in Mokopane on Thursday.

Parliament's Joint Constitutional Review Committee is in the province to engage members of the public on a review of the constitution to enable the expropriation of land in the public interest without compensation.

Lekota said parliamentarians could not allow EFF leader Julius Malema to pick who could address the committee during the hearings.

Lekota and Malema got into an altercation on Wednesday after the Cope leader confronted him about his "interference".

"The sad part is they (EFF) really think that politics is a cheating game. To start with‚ politics is not a game. It's a serious matter of life and death. The decisions we are making will lead to the deaths of human beings‚" he said.

Cope is against the proposal to change Section 25‚ warning that if land got expropriated without compensation‚ war would break out.

Lekota also questioned why committee chairperson Vincent Smith had allowed Malema to co-lead the hearings.

On Wednesday‚ Malema had to intervene repeatedly to calm the crowds in Marble Hall‚ also assisting Smith with the selection of the speaking order.

Lekota also complained about the extension of the time allocated for the hearings‚ saying the decision to continue with the proceedings after 4pm on Wednesday was unfair to other provinces‚ and against Parliament’s decisions.