President Cyril Ramaphosa has conceded that government can make immediate changes to realise land reform that does not touch on property rights at all.
The President was answering questions in Parliament.
He agreed in principle to the land reform programme proposed by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
But the Democratic Alliance (DA) pointed out that in terms of the current dispensation, it’s impossible for tenants to ever own land.
The DA’s John Steenhuisen put questions to the President in Parliament.
“While you busy with the populist red herring of a constitutional amendment, there’s plenty that your government could be doing immediately without recklessly attacking property rights. You could start by reversing the land reform programme and that’s why a black emerging farmer had to take you to court with the help of the DA to compel you to sell his own land to him. The President responded: and a variety of interventions we should make on land reform should include precisely the point you are making.”
President Ramaphosa has also given the assurance that South Africa will survive its economic woes.
He told MPs that tough decisions, like throwing a lifeline to entities like Eskom, must be made to ensure the country’s economy grows.
He added that reprioritising funding from provincial budgets, as opposed to borrowing more money, was the better option.
He reassured everyone that the country will make it out of the tough economic times it is currently experiencing.
Watch the full oral reply from President Cyril Ramaphosa below:
