Many have gathered at Westonaria Civic Centre in the west of Gauteng for the first land hearings on whether Section 25 of the Constitution should be amended.
This is the first of such meetings in Gauteng and parliamentary Constitutional Review committee chair, Vincent Smith has asked the people here to exercise tolerance.
“You are here to talk to parliament. The rules of parliament apply. Tell us what your view is and be tolerant towards someone with a different views.”
She says “sikhathele nini, you are playing with us, you are here to fool us.” She suggests that these #LandHearings are useless, nothing will change.” #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/5ObKKV1pzX
— BlackBallPen (@dinanodamano) July 26, 2018
As the proceedings continue inside, a demonstration is taking place outside. Artist and Activist, Masello Montana, says the process followed at these hearings is incorrect.
She says staring at 1913 concerning the land matter is wrong, “there were incidents of dispossession before 1913, why aren’t incidents from that period taken into consideration?” she asks.
Her protest is of an artistic nature. She is backed by three headless figures whom she says represent three decapitated kings, Hintsa, Bambatha and Jantjies.
This man says the #LandExpropriation debate should go beyond 1913 and start at 1652.He says “white people should not own land in Africa, if that’s how it was supposed to be, God would have created them in Africa.” #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/yjs8B6llDR
— BlackBallPen (@dinanodamano) July 26, 2018
Meanwhile, inside members of the public dressed in their different political regalia are raising their view on the question of the day. It is evident that the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters are the most represented here.
Vincent’s call of tolerance is somehow ignored as a white Afrikaans speaking young man says “Die land was nice he steel nie (the land was not stolen). He says the EFF must stop lying to the people about land. Another woman, is also hackles after she says “black people are lazy, they don’t deserve land.”
He says the land was not stolen, he says the #EFFTurns5 Is Lying To The People about the land being stolen. #sabcnews #LandExpropriation pic.twitter.com/zGI6lEWvez
— BlackBallPen (@dinanodamano) July 26, 2018
Smith intervenes and asks the public to not insult each other but focus on the matter at hand.
The hearings will continue until 16h00. They will move to Vereeniging on and Pretoria on Saturday.
