Mulder 'should resign'

The Young Communist League has called on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Deputy Minister Pieter Mulder to resign, failing which President Jacob Zuma should axe him.

The call follows Mulder's comments in the National Assembly last week that black Africans do not have a legal and historic claim to about 40% of South Africa's land because they migrated from northern Africa.

He said Africans had not in the past lived in the whole of South Africa.

"There is sufficient proof that there were no Bantu-speaking people in the western and northwestern Cape."

Yesterday league secretary Buti Manamela took a swipe at Mulder for suggesting that "settlers found South Africa as a house to let".

"We categorically condemn the attempt by the leader of the Freedom Front Plus to try to rewrite history. The fact is that land was seized violently and through bloodshed, and ultimately legislated in 1913, leaving Africans with no choice but to subject themselves to wage exploitation in the mining industry."

Manamela said such comments were nothing but "archaic white denialism" which will defeat land redistribution and restitution. "We do not believe that a person such as Pieter Mulder should serve in the government, especially in his responsibility in agriculture and forestry. We call for his immediate resignation as he does not share the overall objectives of the government."

Mulder's comments have generated heated debate on Facebook and Twitter. Florence Letoaba tweeted "Zuma should simply remove Pieter Mulder from his comfy position & let him remain an irrelevant FFplus leader. "

5FM DJ Gareth Cliff tweeted: "I disapprove of Pieter Mulder Bantu-speaking p***hol".