Maravi

(THEZIMBABWETIMES) ANC warned against destructive land reform

COMMENT - The DA are showing their true colours. They should say absolutely nothing on the issue of land, until they come up with their own effective and speedy plan for land redistribution. It is cynical in the extreme, to justify the massive land alienation that was at the core of apartheid, with the claim that we need to 'defend property rights'. The present land situation is the result of a massive violation of property rights, the property rights of the African population. If the DA was a genuine party, I would not even have to point that out to them.

ANC warned against destructive land reform
By Junior Ncube
March 26, 2010

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s official opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has warned the ruling African National Congress (ANC) against adopting any land policy that kills commercial agriculture, as has been the case with Zimbabwe over the last decade.

Annette Steyn, Shadow Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, made the comments after the introduction of a three-tier land tenure plan on Thursday by the Ministry of Rural Development and Land Reform.

The DA said the plan was indicative of the ANC’s continued attempts to infringe on the constitutionally guaranteed right to private land ownership. Land reform under the ANC had failed and the administration was inspired by an outdated nationalisation dogma, she said.

“It is common cause that successful economies are built on the foundation of the protection of private property rights,” said Steyn. “Zimbabwe is a perfect example of a country where the lack of secure property rights led to a destruction of the economy following disinvestment.

[No it's not. Zimbabwe did just fine until sanctions froze the government's credit lines in 2002. - MrK]

“Investors are, of course, also less likely to invest in countries with insecure property rights. The South African economy is already fragile and we cannot take this risk. The Democratic Alliance will continue to block any attempts by the ANC-government to infringe on constitutionally guaranteed rights.

[It is typical for neoliberal parties like the DA to put the interests of foreign investors over the rights of the local population and labour. - MrK]

The plan will be set out in a green paper in April and proposes qualified freehold for private land, leasehold for state land and precarious tenure for foreign ownership of land.

Section 25 of the South African Constitution states that “No one may be deprived of property in terms of a law of general application, and no law may prevent arbitrary deprivation of property.”

Steyn said the placing of caps and qualifications was tantamount to such deprivation. Not only was the institution of a land tenure system that would qualify land ownership unlikely to stand constitutional muster, it would also be disastrous for South Africa’s economic growth, she said.

South Africa has in recent years embarked on a programme to equitably distribute land among the country’s races.

However, critics have warned that any controversial allocation of land would degenerate into a crisis as faced by Zimbabwe following its so-called land redistribution programme.

[No one would qualify land redistribution in Zimbabwe as 'so-called', unless they are either ignorant or dishonest. Land was redistributed to over 320,000 families. - MrK]

In 2000, the regime of Robert Mugabe violently took over mainly white-owned commercial farms purportedly to resettle the majority blacks.

It, however, turned out that the land had been distributed to Zanu-PF officials and ill-equipped farmers. This, observers say, eventually killed the once-thriving agricultural sector resulting in massive food shortages and the flight of investors much to the detriment of the economy.

Steyn warned; “It is precisely the sort of foolish measure that would cripple South Africa’s agricultural sector. The devastation to the economy that would occur should South African agricultural land be nationalised cannot be underestimated.

“One need only look at the near irreparable economic damage that was caused by the nationalisation of agricultural land in Zimbabwe.”

The DA was in full support of reversing the effects of cruel land dispossession under apartheid and for the injustices to be undone, said Steyn.

She said in DA’s alternative budget proposed the expansion of the budget for Land Reform and Restitution grants by more than 50 percent.

“We have in the past and will continue to argue for a state land reform policy that provides a comprehensive set of proactive measures, with budgetary backing, to tackle the stagnation of land reform in South Africa,” said Steyn.

“Land Reform under the ANC has failed and the administration, inspired by outdated nationalisation dogma, now seems to be looking for a shortcut that will destroy the right to private land ownership – a right guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, and has a Zimbabwe-styled crisis written all over it.”

Labels: ANC, DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE (SOUTH AFRICA), LAND REFORM

posted by MrK @ 3:21 PM