Brics dialogue adopts plan as Magashule lauds ‘land reform success’

In his closing address to the three-day Brics political parties plus dialogue (PPPD) yesterday, ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule lauded “the successful resolution of land reform, especially the expropriation of land without compensation” recently passed by parliament.

“The ANC is committed and will go a long way in addressing inequalities bedevilling our society, consolidating a firm foundation for economic prosperity,” said Magashule. “Some of the magnificent and successful stories of the Brics countries on agrarian revolution is a testimony to the strategic objectives we want to achieve.

“The profound message from the Freedom Charter is about the agrarian revolution, which necessarily is a foundation of all industries. The agrarian revolution was the beginning of our modern-day society,” he added.

“We have said during the opening of this important dialogue that the industrial revolution was an advanced stage of agrarian revolution.

“Information technology is the advanced stage of industrial revolution and now artificial intelligence is the advanced stage of the information and technological revolution.

“This is the very same notion of the scientific formulation that the new does not necessarily obliterate the old.”

The PPPD wrapped up its deliberations by adopting a 25-point plan, titled the Tshwane 2018 Communique on Addressing Inclusive Economic Development Growth, Peace and Stability; Multilateralism and the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Attended by delegates representing political parties from South Africa, Russia, India, China, Angola, Botswana, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Palestine, Sahrawi Arab Republic, Nicaragua, Namibia and Mozambique, the watershed gathering also sought to address the threat of the re-emergence of global narrow nationalism, sanctions and regime change.

On inclusive economic development growth, the gathering resolved to establish “commodity exchange mechanism in participating countries that have a dominance in specific resources”.

The communique reads: “Brics political parties plus dialogue must intensify intra-regional trade, including advancement of economic solidarity.

“There should be development and consolidation of policies that ensure inclusivity and broad economic participation by all sectors of society to form a cornerstone of our collective strategy.”

On peace and stability, the gathering called on member countries to address the “challenge of terrorism, tribalism, ethnicity, corruption and natural resource mismanagement, which contribute to instability”.

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