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The majority of the sentiments expressed at the round of public hearings on the Section 25 amendment, that came to an end in Kimberley yesterday, has shown that the so-called desire of South Africans for Expropriation without Compensation (EWC) is another politically designed narrative, not a true priority for the people of the Northern Cape. See pics here, here and here.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) attended all four public hearings held in Pofadder, Upington, Kuruman and Kimberley, and we also took a strong stand for the protection of property rights, as opposed to the disintegration of such rights.

The fact that most people attending the hearings expressed the same sentiments as us, further confirmed our longstanding view that EWC is a nation-breaking instrument that has nothing to do with true land reform. It has been imposed on South Africans as their own idea, in a wicked attempt to sew division, stoke lawlessness and break down our hard-won democracy to serve narrow and dangerous political interests.

Given the submissions put forward by a well-represented public, there is now no way that EWC can democratically be enforced on the people of the Northern Cape.

It is time for the ANC to stop wasting government’s time and scarce resources, by playing into the hands of the EFF, which is hellbent on taking South Africa down the same road travelled by our broken neighbour, Zimbabwe.

It is instead time to put paid to the true desires of South Africans, which is to become farmers on their own tracts of land, not on government-leased state-owned commonage land. Or to become homeowners, not tenants in state-owned houses, which they can leave as an inheritance to their children.

For this to occur, we do not need to entertain EWC. Instead, we just need the political will because Section 25 of the Constitution is not an inhibitor to land reform.

The DA acknowledges the need for land reform, and the importance of speeding up land reform, and if given the chance, we will return land to the people through the biggest land redistribution programme in South African history.

Where the DA governs, we have already been able to change the lives of many people through an accelerated title deeds transfer programme and successful land reform projects.

Land reform can be dealt with in a fair, transparent and urgent manner that compels the transfer of title deeds to South Africans, protects property rights and doesn’t sew hatred, kill the South African economy and damage our already volatile food basket.

Issued by The DA