The land question must be handled with extreme sensitivity

All it took was a stroke of a pen. The day after the 1913 Land Act was passed, thousands of black families were made landless in the country of their birth. More than a century later, South Africa is still dealing with the effects.

It is up to this government to not only give justice to the heirs of those who were dispossessed, but also to think about the future for which we all yearn.

It was fitting that the Restitution of Land Rights Bill was passed last week to give those who still have claims a right to do so. We are told the government is planning to fast-track land rights and correct the wrongs of the past.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said the spending focus over the medium term will be on tabling the Expropriation Bill, which provides for the expropriation of property for a public purpose or in the public interest.

He said any expropriation would be subject to just and equitable compensation. Although parliament is yet to discuss the bill, it's appropriate that we begin discussions now.

Those who argue that the past should be buried should look at the present situation to realise the damage the Land Act did to this country's landless majority.

It is important to reflect on our sad history so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

We have seen across our border how peace can be spoiled by land issues. Different political parties have styled their manifestos around land issues.

Yesterday, President Jacob Zuma said the laws governing land reform and restitution were biased in favour of landowners.

We fully agree with Zuma that it will take time to bring justice to the landless. We hope the president is not starting the land conversation to cover his political survival within the ANC.

The president should approach the land issue with an open mind. We need to handle it with the maturity and sensitivity it rightly deserves.

Land redistribution presents us with a second opportunity to effectively build an inclusive society for the future of this country.