'Expropriation' Freedom Fighters: Malema gives ANC the lay of the land
Image: Alaister Russell
If the African National Congress (ANC) continues to lose support and requires help from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to remain in power‚ it will face serious demands that necessitate constitutional amendments.
This was revealed by EFF leader Julius Malema at a business breakfast with journalists and editors in Braamfontein on Thursday.
Malema said South Africans should support the ANC but it would not be enough for the ruling party to do what it wants in Parliament.
“Land is going to be expropriated without compensation‚ whether you like it or not. Whether white monopoly capital likes it or not. Land is going to be expropriated without compensation. We are calling for South Africans to give the ANC 40% in 2019 elections so that the ANC can need us. In needing us‚ the condition will be the amendment of the constitution‚” Malema said.
“You know‚ we don’t play when it comes to conditions. The ANC must get below the required percentage so that they can need us. In needing us‚ we are going to amend the constitution. We are going to expropriate the land without compensation through the amendment of the Constitution‚ Section 25.
“Section 25 speaks about expropriation but it speaks about compensation. I don’t understand these people‚ including [Advocate Tembeka] Ngcukaitobi who say there is no need to amend the constitution… It makes it clear that you must compensate.”
The EFF has already pushed through a motion this year to begin a process that seeks to amend the Constitution and allow expropriation of land without compensation.
Malema said President Cyril Ramaphosa had misled Parliament this week when he said the motion flowed from the ANC elective conference in December. Malema said the EFF tabled the same motion in 2017 and the ANC rejected it.
He said the Constitution did not have room from expropriation without compensation.
“If the Constitution allows for expropriation without compensation‚ why do you have a problem with the amendment so that we put it very simple for Malema to understand? The Constitution is not supposed to be some philosophical‚ theoretical document. It is supposed to be a Bible for every single South African‚” Malema said.
