President Jacob Zuma on Thursday said land restitution without compensation would not end in land grabs, but would restore dignity to poor South Africans.

Zuma was responding to a debate in a sitting of the National House of Traditional Leaders in Parliament, and said the return of land to its rightful owners was crucial to effect radical economic transformation.

“No one is saying let us go and grab, no. We are saying let us do everything within the law,” said Zuma, repeating his support for a Constitutional amendment which would allow for the expropriation of land without compensation.

“We are not saying let us now go and take the land. We are saying let us amend the Constitution. Constitutions are amended all the time to fix wrongs,” Zuma told the traditional leaders.