Local residents raise their voice on land expropriation without compentation

The second of three public hearings on the possible amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution was held in Ermelo at the Msukaligwa Municipality.

The hearing was held on Tuesday, 3 July in the town hall.

The first Mpumalanga hearing was held in Mbombela (Nelspruit) on Monday, 2 July and the third meeting took place in Middelburg on Wednesday, 4 July.

Parliament’s constitutional review committee is travelling to all nine provinces to gather submissions from the public on land expropriation.

The hearings allow for all people to give their opinion on why they agree or disagree that the Constitution must be amended.

Each speaker was given three minutes to give their reasons and to offer solutions.

Mr Hennie Bekker, district coordinator of AfriForum Mpumalanga, said they are against the amendment and that the process is flawed as venues were not communicated in advanced, therefore many people could not attend the hearings.

“If needed, we will challenge this process in court.”

He further said people are being misled that all land was stolen.

He also stated that the government has not given any clear indication on how the land would be redistributed and that makes it look like a government stunt to cover up their own failures on service delivery with false hope of land ownership.

A Volksrust farmer was of the opinion that land expropriation without compensation will not solve South Africa’s economic problems and that the government has enough power.

Another resident said the only way to solve poverty in our land is through land expropriation without compensation.

Some speakers were shouted at and the Economic Freedom Fighters leader, Mr Julius Malema, had to calm the crowd and asked all to respect the views of other speakers.

He said people might not agree with all the speakers, but they have to listen to them.

Mr Werner Weber said he had received three delegations from Swaziland who agreed that parts of Mpumalanga belong to the Swazi people.

After his statement, he had a counter question to the chairman.

“When the black people 600 years ago crossed the Limpopo River, there were Bushmen here.

“The question is that when you encountered the Bushmen, did you buy the land or did you negotiate with them or did you simply take the land?”

Ms Deli Dludlu shared her personal experience and said the land that she lives on was taken and is now being managed by a black person who demolished her house.

“We are being abused by our own people,” she said.

Many of the opinions supported the process to amend the Constitution with the view that the land was stolen.

The Transvaal Agriculture Union of South Africa raised the point that Section 25 already makes provision for the expropriation of property with compensation.

They have already submitted an input to the portfolio committee that investigates the proposal to amend the Constitution of South Africa.

Section 25 states that property may be expropriated only for a “public purpose or in the public interest” and “subject to compensation”, the amount of which, and the time and manner of payment, must either have been agreed to by those affected or decided by a court.

They brought to the attention of the chairman that TAU SA acknowledges the levels of poverty and the unfortunate plight of jobless people, but is convinced that the only way to solve this problem is through a growing economy that is sustainable.

“Economic growth depends on confidence by the investor in a healthy policy environment which in itself will generate investments in the national economy,” said Mr Janneman Robberts.

“If this is accepted and legalised, it is almost certain that the South African economy will be isolated and marginalised which will in turn lead to greater levels of poverty and misery,” he concluded.

Hon Tsapane Mampuru thanked the community of Ermelo for being honest.