By Tawanda Musariri
Youths in South Africa have taken the land fight to Parliament which they expect to enact a law that legalises the compulsory acquisition of land without compensation.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC), together with the biggest opposition, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are in unanimous agreement over the need to compulsorily acquire land from white commercial farmers who own, control and use the vast majority of productive land despite that they are the minority.
During a public hearing of the Constitutional Review Committee by the Parliament in South Africa at the Heartfelt Arena in Tswane (Pretoria), agitated youths had the following responses to the subject.
“We as Africans we cannot allow ourselves to be ruled by white foreigners. It is not a secret that a white man is a foreigner in Africa. So Africans, if you are not ready to fight you will be slaves for the rest of your lives. We must take our land even if they refuse to amend the constitution. We must take our land, either through policy or by force. This land is ours and we must take it. Today when they go back to Parliament, they must know that we, as the youth of South Africa, if they fail to amend the constitution, there is going to be “no land no democracy”. No land no peace.”
“We are following this process of parliament because we are a peaceful people. But we do not want to be pushed to the corner where we take the land by force. Nothing stops us from taking the land by force. We are the majority in South Africa,” said a middle aged woman.
“About 1652 is the day when Dutch gangsters arrived to take our land. They are not apologetic,” said another respondent who could not be identified.
He continued: “Our patience is running out. To the chairperson, we are saying this land question must be resolved before the 2019 elections. We cannot wait until after the 2019 elections.
“Remove the rest of section 25 of the constitution and replace that section. All land that is owned by white thieves must be declared stolen property,” charged another youth
Another lady respondent said, “We need our land back by force and we are not apologetic about it. If the ANC thinks that we are playing, we are not playing. Whites are seeking reconciliation with us. The only reconciliation we are seeking is the return of our land without any bloodshed.”
At the Town Hall in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, a man said, “Expropriation without compensation should start now and not later because we will take the land physically if they do not give back the land peacefully.”
Both South Africa and Namibia got inspiration from Zimbabwe and their respective governments are clear on the need to repossess land and the movement is currently in overdrive before the processes commence. The debate is raging on Twitter with the following handles: @ParliamentofRSA and #LandExpropriation.
