SA Government Asks For Constitutional Review On Proposed Land Confiscations

[stug]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12003693


South Africa's parliament has voted in favour of a motion that will begin the process of amending the country's Constitution to allow for the confiscation of white-owned land without compensation.

The motion was brought by Julius Malema, leader of the radical Marxist opposition party the Economic Freedom Fighters, and passed overwhelmingly by 241 votes to 83 against. The only parties who did not support the motion were the Democratic Alliance, Freedom Front Plus, Cope and the African Christian Democratic Party.

It was amended but supported by the ruling African National Congress and new president Cyril Ramaphosa, who made land expropriation a key pillar of his policy platform after taking over from ousted PM Jacob Zuma earlier this month.

"The time for reconciliation is over. Now is the time for justice," Malema was quoted by News24 as telling parliament. "We must ensure that we restore the dignity of our people without compensating the criminals who stole our land."
According to Bloomberg, a 2017 government audit found white people owned 72 per cent of farmland in South Africa.

ANC deputy chief whip Dorries Eunice Dlakude said the party "recognises that the current policy instruments, including the willing-buyer willing-seller policy and other provisions of Section 25 of the Constitution may be hindering effective land reform".

ANC rural affairs minister Gugile Nkwinti added: "The ANC unequivocally supports the principle of land expropriation without compensation. There is no doubt about it, land shall be expropriated without compensation."

Thandeka Mbabama from the Democatic Alliance party, which opposed the motion, said there was a need to right the wrongs of the past but expropriation "cannot be part of the solution".

"By arguing for expropriation without compensation, the ANC has been gifted the perfect scapegoat to explain away its own failure," she said in a statement.

"Making this argument lets the ANC off the hook on the real impediments — corruption, bad policy and chronic underfunding. Expropriation without compensation would severely undermine the national economy, only hurting poor black people even further."

 

[Ridgewalker]

Another sad situation. A lot of misguiding it sounds like to me. Guess we’ll see what happens.

 

[BRICKBURN]

National Assembly adopts EFF motion on land expropriation

27 February 2018 - 18:40BY NEO GOBA

The motion on land expropriation without compensation‚ brought by EFF leader Julius Malema‚ was passed after 324 of 400 members of parliament sat to vote on the motion.
Image: Esa Alexander

The Economic Freedom Fighters have claimed the victory on passing a motion for land expropriation without compensation in the National Assembly‚ which was overwhelmingly adopted.

The motion‚ brought by EFF leader Julius Malema‚ was passed after 324 of 400 members of parliament sat to vote on the motion. Eighty-three MPs voted against it‚ while 241 voted in favour of the motion. There was no notable abstentions.

The Democratic Alliance‚ who said there was no need for the amendment of the Constitution as the slow process of land redistribution was a result of the ANC-led government's failure for the past 25 years‚ did not support the motion. Neither did the Congress of the People‚ the African Christian Democratic Party and the Freedom Front Plus.

The matter will now be referred to the Constitutional Review Committee‚ which must report back to Parliament by August 30.

The EFF proposed that an ad hoc committee be established to review and amend Section 25 of the Constitution to make it possible for the state to expropriate land in the public interest‚ without compensation.

Section 25 of the Constitution – known as the property clause - states the government must make laws and take other steps to help people or communities to get land to live on‚ and to claim back land if they lost it after 1913 and because of an apartheid law.

In March last year‚ a similar motion brought by the EFF was defeated by 261 votes to 33. Two MPs abstained. The ANC said at the time it did not agree with any form of land expropriation without compensation.

https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2018-02-27-national-assembly-adopts-eff-motion-on-land-expropriation/

 

[Wheels]

 

[fourfive8]

RSA- so much potential, so little wisdom.

I was thinking... the relatively small 1% increase of the VAT from 14% to 15% really won't amount to much of an increase for an average safari. But if I were going to have to pay a high confiscatory tax on a safari, just the thought of any increase would make me re-consider RSA as a destination. Whew!! so glad I'm only passing through RSA this year and will be spending minimal amount there.

 

[CAustin]

Wonder what some of our South African friends here on AH have to say about this?

 

[Dragan N.]

It's going to turn into a huge mess if they go through this. I find it interesting how the politicians who have been governing and have thus kind of run the country into the ground have now decided to play Robin Hood and reward themselves with other people's property. Rather than tackle corruption or a lack of jobs they have decided to give away other people's land. This land will likely go to their cronies and when within a few years their farming sector goes to s**t what will they do then ? Until actual meaningful economic changes to South Africa the townships will remain a tinder box- whether farmland is predominately owned by whites or rich blacks.

I also find it ironic how there was a professor from a local university here who was supportive of this policy. Yet I don't think he realizes that he lives on "stolen" land. I'd really want to ask him, why doesn't he set an example by give up his house and property to the Natives?? Doubt he'd sign up for that. You know European people have been living longer in South Africa than in Canada...

 

[Jaws]

As a tax paying South African I stand to lose everything.
the Wife & I bought our little farm about 4 years ago with money we worked hard for. We paid our property Tax, extensive transfer fees(taxed), Insurance (taxed) when we bought it, financing a farm at 12.5% interest through the bank (also taxed), we cut all luxury to pay our bond as quick as possible. Not to mention the sacrifices of spending months away from the family, missing out on my two girl's first achievements (age 4 years & 6 Months) working abroad to earn a salary to accomplish all of this,Remember, i'm "white", as such Im facing massive employment challenges in the "New" South Africa. Investing the left over funds into developing the property by employing people & providing them with a job, housing & spoils of the farm.

Overnight, my property is no longer an asset or security, as Government can decide to take it away from us because of my skin color...being of a white complexion, i'm considered privileged & a criminal. I still want to figure out how though, as I grew up in a South Africa where everyone was considered the same (I was a school boy when Nelson Mandela became president) I was never given anything but life when I was born 35 years ago into a working class family that had to work hard to make ends meet.

Being the 6th generation born in South Africa, I do not have the privilege of reaching out to my ancestral countries for assistance or as a bail out option.
That said, I have no other option but to take a stand to protect my family & my property.
Perhaps I should learn from the ANC how to fight an oppressive & racist government.

 

[rinehart0050]

This doesn't seem to be trending in the right direction...

 

[Brent in Az]

If all the whites left South Africa, the country would quickly crumble into ruination. At some point they will be looking for the rest of the world to give them money.

 

[LivingTheDream]

And no one in the RSA government heard of Zimbabwe? I mean they can literally see what a horrible policy it was and the devastating effects. Hopefully this is more posturing than anything.

 

[Shootist43]

This would be a good time for someone to write a paper on South Africa's projected Economy / GDP post expropriation. No doubt Zimbabwe's experience would be footnoted often. But then the height of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. Providing the new President is as intelligent as some say he is can veto or at least thwart this effort.

 

[Tom Hawk]

Not going to ordinary folks, to the politicians and their cronies the land will be theirs

 

[BRICKBURN]

This should be great news for the San (Bushman).
Being the very original land holders in South Africa. (Which is proven out by the well spread land titles they placed on rock walls throughout Southern Africa.)

I'm certain Julius has them in mind when he talks about the various tribes migrating into a new land and expropriating it from the local natives.

I sincerely wish the REVIEW COMMITTEE the best in addressing this issue for the good of ALL South Africans.

 

[TXhunter65]

Anyone else about to book a safari just put on the brakes?

 

[Shootist43]

The 2018 season should not be effected, since the committee report is not due out till August. As the old saying goes, "let's not throw the baby out with the bath water."

 

[firehuntfish]

Anyone else about to book a safari just put on the brakes?

To think that wholesale land seizures could never happen would be naive... It has happened In Zim and I suppose it could happen to at least some limited extent in RSA... To guess what extent or what the effects would be are impossible to assume. Nothing is going to happen overnight, and if it did, I'm pretty sure a civil war would soon follow.

That said, I wouldn't hesitate to make safari plans for one minute. I would also recommend to book smartly and get travel insurance just as I would advise for travel to any 3rd-world destination for any number of obvious reasons.

 

[firehuntfish]

This should be great news for the San (Bushman).
Being the very original land holders in South Africa. (Which is proven out by the well spread land titles they placed on rock walls throughout Southern Africa.)

I'm certain Julius has them in mind when he talks about the various tribes migrating into a new land and expropriating it from the local natives.

Excellent historical point that very few folks are actually aware of... The only natives the Portuguese encountered in 1480 where these Bushmen. The bulk of RSA's black population today actually immigrated from central Africa long after trade, commerce, and civilization was established by the Dutch European settlers in the 1600's. I guess the supporting narrative of the current government is that only the dark-skinned blacks are the rightful owners of the land and that goes for the entire continent whether they got there first or not?

 

[Hogpatrol]

If this even occurs just a little bit, foreign investment will flee, the ratings agencies will rate their debt as junk and the whole corrupt house of cards will collapse. Wouldn't want to be a white man in RSA or any other part of Africa.

 

[Tom Hawk]

I’ll bet the Zimbabweans are laughing at South Africa