Deputy President David Mabuza has warned against using the land reform program to incite racial tensions. Mabuza again said the envisaged expropriation of land without compensation would be implemented within the framework of the law and the Constitution.
Mabuza was answering questions in the National Assembly ranging from land, the electricity crisis facing the country as well as government’s response to HIV/Aids.
“As patriotic South Africans who want to be part of the solution, we need to guard against those who want to use this land question to divide us by framing land reform as a race based punitive act against our white citizens who own land.”
He told Parliament that government was engaging commercial farmers who have pledged to donate land to their tenants.
African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Kenneth Meshoe says: “The Banking Association estimates that there has been a marked decline in investment in farm land given these facts why does government continues to claim the expropriation of land without compensation poses no threat to agricultural sector, economy and racial harmony”
Mabuza says government is busy conducting an audit of all land parcels in the hands of the State and the process is expected to be completed by the end of April.
On the electricity crisis, the Deputy President says a special Cabinet committee set up by President Cyril Ramaphosa is hard at work and will report to Cabinet soon on its findings.
He also told MPs that while government has made strides in the fight against HIV/Aids much more still needs to be done.
This was the last question and answer session for the Deputy President in this fifth administration.
Parliament wraps up next week to allow MPs time to campaign ahead of the May 8th elections.
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