Expropriation Act just a ploy to show ANC is still radical, say experts

The signing into law of the Land Expropriation Bill by President Cyril Ramaphosa is nothing but a red herring to show its ANC detractors it is also radical, said its critics.

Political analyst Sandile Swana said the legislation was supposed to have been enacted and implemented as far back as 1997-98 to address property rights, but it had been delayed and thereby squandered the opportunity.

Instead, it had failed the landless black majority, he said.

ANC ‘scapegoating’ the DA

Ramaphosa signed the Act last week, sparking anger among some partners in the government of national unity (GNU).

DA leader John Steenhuisen said his party would challenge the Act in court and threatened not to support the passing of the upcoming budget by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.

Steenhuisen, in an address reacting to the Ramaphosa’s signing of the Act, reminded the president that he was voted into office with the DA’s support.

The legislation provides for the expropriation of the land by the state, which the ANC wants to use to address landlessness among the black majority.

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Swana said: “Now after 30 years of dilly-dallying around this issue, they say it must be done but it must be done by the DA. They have failed to implement it themselves and the evidence is excessive and compelling.

“In essence, they want the DA to carry their still-born baby and the anger and to redirect the anger against the ANC failure towards the DA.

“What we are looking at now, is scapegoating so that there is a clear message that goes to say the ANC is not less radical than the MK party or the EFF.

“The GNU, in the propaganda of the ANC, is in actual fact the vehicle that is presently seized with implementing the national democratic revolution in South Africa.” “There were certain key points where the ANC would use the GNU to demonstrate its true credentials as revolutionaries,” said Swana.

“It targeted the land expropriation, the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (Bela) and the National Health Insurance as flagship projects to pursue its objectives. So the ANC is busy profiling itself in this manner,” he said.

“They also want whatever threats to come from the whites to go to the DA, so they are planting the DA in the middle of this mess, Swana added.

DA has ‘tasted power’

The current tension creates an atmosphere that the GNU had become a place of contestation; that it was no smooth sailing or the DA was not agreeing to everything the ANC put on the table.

Analyst Goodenough Mashego said the new development in the GNU would not affect the GNU per se because of vested interests.

He said the DA had tasted power and would not like to lose it. Rather, the party would use the platform to expose the ANC’s weaknesses in government.

Ironically, the Expropriation Act would be implemented by DA Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson who vowed that while he was minister, the Act would not be implement.

Macpherson is at loggerheads with his deputy, Sihle Zikalala, who welcomed the signing of the Act, saying it was the duty of the Cabinet to implement it.

The contradicting statement from the Macpherson and his deputy signaled increasing divisions in the GNU about the way forward.

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