Julius Malema defends Zulu king on land debate

EFF leader Julius Malema on Thursday defended Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini's right to fight for his land – saying others had made worse proposals.

Addressing a joint press conference with the Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA (Contralesa) in Johannesburg‚ Malema said Zwelithini's recent threat to call for a secession from South Africa was part of the king's contribution to the land debate.

Malema said he had witnessed worse contributions from white South Africans during the public hearings on the amendment of section 25 of the constitution. "There are boers who are calling for a separate republic‚" said Malema.

Contralesa secretary Zolani Mkhiva says they agree with the EFF that section 25 should be changed to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation.

Mkhiva said they were not convinced that expropriation without compensation could be done without changing the constitution.

"We support expropriation of land without compensation whole-heartedly‚" said Mkhiva on behalf of the organisation.

Mkhiva said Contralesa viewed the Ingonyama Trust issue as an administrative one. "It is land under the administration of Africans‚" he said.

He explained that expropriation without compensation should be aimed at "stolen land"‚ whereas the land controlled by the Ingonyama Trust was not stolen.

He announced that Contralesa and the EFF would hold a joint land summit within six months.