Land grabs will not be tolerated‚ warns Mokonyane

Communications Minister Nomvula Mokonyane says government will not tolerate land grabs while the process of reviewing the constitution to allow for expropriation without compensation continues.

Mokonyane was briefing the media after a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

“On the land grabs‚ government will never allow and tolerate any form of land grabs in our country‚” she said.

“There are already laws in place. We call upon land owners‚ local government and law enforcement agencies to act in a manner that will demonstrate that this is not in line with the implementation of land expropriation without compensation.

“Those that act in that way are actually breaking the law. We should not wait for a crisis where there are many people on site.

“We have received several reports about what is happening around the country. We have made a plea to property owners: those who are aware must communicate with government and police. We urge those that are behind these acts to respect the law of South Africa.”

This comes after a recent spate of land grabs in Tshwane. SowetanLIVE reported that in one case‚ near Soshanguve‚ shacks sprung up on private land owned by three black businessmen.

“If the law enforcement agencies themselves [are] derelict [of their] responsibility‚ we will take appropriate action.

“It is not a black and white issue; it is about a prosperous‚ united South Africa. Whether it is a black land owner or [not]‚ if it is done in an illegal way‚ it is not acceptable. The intentions are not against the white farmer; it is about growing the economy‚” said Mokonyane.