South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government will press ahead with plans to distribute more land to the black majority in an orderly fashion, warning that a failure to do so would perpetuate an injustice that dates back to apartheid rule and constrain the economy.
“Land reform is an essential part of inclusive growth,” Ramaphosa said in a speech to lawmakers in Cape Town on Thursday. He reiterated that the government supported changing the constitution to make it easier for it to take land without compensation.
Ramaphosa’s comments came a day after US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo cautioned that land expropriation would be disastrous for Africa’s most industrialised economy and described the policy proposal as an example of centralized planning that has failed in other African states like Zimbabwe.
“Land grabs will not be allowed to happen in our country,” Ramaphosa said. “We refuse to be reckless.”
© 2020 Bloomberg
COMMENTS 11
You must be signed in to comment.
SIGN IN SIGN UP
Land grabs are happening already. And your useless ANC can do nothing about it. It’s chaos in this country.
Vote 38
You don’t need to change the Constitution to redistribute ( certain) land to previously disadvantaged people. It can be done WITHOUT touching the Constitution.
The moment you change any part of the Constitution, this opens the door to more changes and eventually you can end up with a Constitution that doesn’t even have the value of the paper it’s written on!
Leave the Constitution alone Mr Rhamaphosa!
Vote 38
Well then it’s high time the US imposed sanctions on South Africa!
Vote 29
…property rights are a corner stone of liberty and freedom as the US constitution up holds. China has no property protection, thus massive outflows of capital to lands that do
Lets hope the US presses pause on the AGOA agreement and even tear it up for the RSA
Vote 7
On the one side, there is Mike Pompeo and capitalism. On the other side, there is Ace Magashule and collectivism/socialism/communism or universal plunder. In the middle is Cyril, ducking and diving and rolling with the punches. This fight is taking place on the deck of the Titanic, and Luthuli House is the iceberg.
Vote 33
And? Why did they not “pursue” land reform in the past 30 years?
Because we were previously disadvantaged and this gives them an excuse to perform below par. Or not at all.
We therefor did nothing during the past 30 years where we had and still have a mandate the expropriate WITH compensation.
Not wonder you are called names from time to time. Like wife beater???
Where’s your backbone man?????
Vote 19
because ANC wasn’t losing votes until recently. Only once there was a real threat of losing a majority to the EFFs call for land grabs did the ANC start. ZanuPF only started condoning landgrabs once they were underway and needed to retain power.
Vote 10
“Those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad.”
And the ANC is asking for it.
Vote 11
SA is gonna be one big desert.
Vote 8
Oops, another nail in the Cape Town Property coffin…the precious DA offers no protection for this.
Vote 5
“..inclusive growth”?
Get your money out fast!
Vote 1
Load All 11 Comments
End of comments.