'The land was never sold, it was stolen'

10 January 2016 - 02:01 By SIBONGAKONKE SHOBA
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ANC and EFF supporters face off in Marikana West, where President Jacob Zuma was expected to hand over houses to beneficiaries. The president, however, did not show up
ANC and EFF supporters face off in Marikana West, where President Jacob Zuma was expected to hand over houses to beneficiaries. The president, however, did not show up
Image: SIMPHIWE NKWALI

President Jacob Zuma, asking why the government was paying for "stolen" land, has called for a more radical land reform policy.

Addressing separate events at the ANC's birthday celebrations in Rustenburg at the weekend, Zuma said the party needed to come up with new "instruments" to fast-track land reform to be able to resolve the problems of poverty, inequality and unemployment.

He first broached the issue while addressing traditional leaders on Friday.

"The source of poverty, inequality, unemployment is land ... which was taken, not bought. Stolen," he said. "But the government of the people has been buying it back as if it was sold at one point. It was never sold, it was taken ... stolen."

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Zuma's radical comments on land reform could be an attempt to counter Julius Malema's EFF, which has taken it up as a campaign issue. The ANC faces a strong challenge from the EFF and the DA in local government elections this year.

Later on Friday, at a gala dinner, Zuma repeated that "land hunger" was the cause of poverty and inequality. "Without solving that problem, rest assured, we would talk about it for many decades to come. We need some bold decisions," he said.

And yesterday, speaking at the event celebrating the ANC's 104th anniversary, Zuma said the pace of land reform "must be radically accelerated".

"The ANC will continue to work with all sectors to find lasting and meaningful ways of effecting redress for the centuries-long injustice of land dispossession," he said.

"It is vitally important that, as South Africans, we feed ourselves and therefore, we must be self-sufficient in food production. The return of land must enable an increase in food productivity.

"As the Freedom Charter says, the land shall belong to those who work it," he said.

The ANC has repeatedly stated that the "willing buyer, willing seller" policy was not working, and has called for "just and equitable" land redistribution.

But until now it has never publicly questioned why the government should pay for land obtained from white owners.

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In his speech yesterday, Zuma also acknowledged the impact of the drought and urged communities to use water sparingly and "to collect rainwater for domestic use".

He said his party was aware of the economic crisis gripping South Africa and that it had put programmes and strategies in place to mitigate the impact.

"We identified a two-pronged strategy to chart the way forward: structural reforms to create and maintain a higher growth path, and reducing South Africa's vulnerability by stabilising public debt," Zuma said.

"It is incumbent on all of us to ensure proper fiscal management and prudent utilisation of public money.

"It is important that we sustain social and economic progress by focusing on the identified developmental priorities," he said.

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