Uncertainty over land reform: FF+

2010-04-30 22:16

Cape Town - The Freedom Front Plus has welcomed President Jacob Zuma's confirmation that there will be no Zimbabwe-style land grabs in South Africa.

"The ANC's confusing statements about land reform, however, creates uncertainty in the agricultural and business sectors and is harming South Africa," FF Plus leader and Deputy Agriculture Minister Pieter Mulder said on Friday.

What made the confusion worse was when the ANC Youth League supported Zuma's comments about land.

"The ANC Youth League's recent comments about the nationalisation of land and their admiration of Zimbabwe's failed land reform policy led to furious reaction in South Africa."

"Does the 'pragmatic new formula' which the president proposes for land reform, also include the ANC Youth League's proposals or not?"

The FF Plus hoped the league took note that since Zimbabwe started its land expropriation policy, unemployment in Zimbabwe had risen from 20 to 85% and the general life expectation had fallen from 60 to 34 years.

"Land and property are the fixed security upon which banks are established."

"From discussions with the banking sector and foreign investors it is clear that the banking sector could collapse if there is no longer certainty about the ownership of land."

In this regard, Section 25 of the Constitution was not an interim section, as the league alleged, but just as valid as any section in the human rights bill.

Rural development was one of the ANC's priorities. As long as especially commercial farmers were uncertain about their land and their safety, it was impossible to expect them to assist with investments in the interest of developing rural areas, Mulder said.

- SAPA