It is a busy weekend for President Cyril Ramaphosa in KwaZulu-Natal. Since Friday the President has been engaging in a series of events in KwaZulu-Natal province.
It culminated in the launch of the province’s Thuma Mina campaign in Groutville, north of Durban.
The African National Congress (ANC) president kicked off his visit on Friday at Empangeni, visiting the Pentecostal church.
The church had previously invited and given blessings to the President before the 2017 NASREC ANC elective conference.
Addressing hundreds of congregants of the Pentecostal Church in eMpangeni on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, Ramaphosa reassured the king that the government was not targeting communal land. He says traditional leaders will continue to control communal land.
Later in the night a much-awaited meeting with AmaZulu King Goodwill Zwelithini in Richards Bay took place.
The talks centred on land expropriation without compensation and especially the Ingonyama Trust. Ramaphosa reassured that the king’s land would not be expropriated.
“I had a wonderful meeting with His Majesty the king Zwelithi and we discussed while range of issues. He and I had a wonderful warm communication. The issue of Ingonyama Trust came up, I felt the need to go and meet him. We discussed the issue. I assured him that the government has no intention whatsoever to take the land from the Ingonyama Trust. I reaffirm the land is under the Ingonyama Trust as per legislation and that he has custody of the land on behalf of the people in KZN.”
On Saturday morning the President led a 5km march to promote a healthy lifestyle. He interacted with residents and handed over title deeds at Ward 16.
He will wrap up the day by visiting the family of the victim of the Ottawa Mosque bomb.
Meanwhile, ANC alliance partners Cosatu and SACP have thrown their weight behind the ruling party at the launch of the Thuma Mina campaign at Groutville on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast.
KZN Cosatu Chair Skhumbuzo Mdlalose and SACP’s Themba Mthembu says they will support the ANC on its election drive ahead of the 2019 polls.
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