On Monday the 27th of July 2015, Jan Gerber of Media 24 reported that president Jacob Zuma stated: “The bill on expropriation of property WILL go through this year.”
President Zuma is a man of many promises, unfortunately the promises we need to be fulfilled, seldom are and those we would rather pull the plug on usually goes through. For example: We were promised prosperity, equal opportunities and a generally happy nation.
We are not. We sit with ever escalating unemployment, racism, discrimination and intolerance, we sit with poverty, we face another recession and we see countrymen of ours, black, Indian, coloured and white having to find shelter in shacks wrapped in rags and shivering against the cold of this winter…a winter which will pass as far as seasons are concerned, but for the minority population in South Africa, a winter of hopelessness which is bound to last a very, very long time still – I was wondering what they would give for a warm night in one of the R6 million guardhouses at Nkandla.
No, these promises never realized.
But I’m betting my front teeth that this one we will see in all its horridness happen in my lifetime. An expropriation of property bill failed in 2008 and in 2013 – This time Zuma will launch it through. That is his promise, but it is, as usual, sh*t wrapped in silk.
Can one even imagine the impact on food production if farms are dispossessed at government determined rates and at the whim of a minister and handed over to people who know zero about farming? We know the way of Africa: Eat, drink and be merry until everything is finished. Then make fires with the doorframes and ceilings until that is finished as well. And when the hunger pains start, go find somebody to beat to a pulp and take what is his…a vicious circle. This time only it will be legal to do that.
Can one imagine the impact on the economy? Who would want to purchase a property which could be expropriated any moment? We can elaborate endlessly on the potential impact of this bill on economic development.
President Zuma says: “The concept of willing buyer, willing seller is not addressing the land reform issue fast enough. We are determined to return the land to our people and we will launch the necessary legislation to ensure that.”
But mr Zuma, is this not making theft legal? What historical claim do you have to all the land you want? What about the vast expanses of land that was never occupied by the black man in this country? What about the land legally obtained by the white man through negotiation and purchasing it from chieftains and kings? What about the land where tyrants such as Shaka and Mzilikazi simply wiped the original owners off the face of the earth to take what belonged to them?
When has it become acceptable in law to steal what never belonged to you and the thief is protected by law while the legal owner is branded as criminal?
“Expropriation WILL take place according to the constitution and the bill WILL be passed this year,” the president promised.
We are not as much concerned with what he promised, as with what he did not mention in his promise but which, measured against logical argument and the nature of Africa, will consequently follow. That which is called a human disaster of unimaginable proportions.
This year, he said. This time we believe him…
Daniël Lötter
Front Nasionaal Suid-Afrika
South Africa Today – South Africa News
