South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party president, Cyril Ramaphosa, said his country would never experience chaotic land grabs, despite simmering tensions over government’s land reform programme.
Addressing a gathering Monday night in Pretoria as part of the governing party’s campaign prior to the 8 May national elections, Ramaphosa said: “Let’s find solutions together. The one thing that I’ve always said, that will never be allowed, is to have land grabs.”
He added: “We are going to solve this problem working together and finding solutions that are fit for South Africa. As South Africans, we have been able to find solutions for the most difficult and almost intractable problems.
“We have great minds in our nation, and those great minds are going to be put to work to make sure that we do find solutions. Much as we live in a country where there is private ownership, we also have a hybrid type of system.
“There is private ownership and communal ownership. The land being claimed is for communal ownership and the Constitution recognises that.”
Several people in the auditorium raised questions about the land redistribution programme being pushed by the ANC. In his response, Ramaphosa made it clear that the land question would inevitably be addressed.
“We have always been saying we have a Constitution, and there is a constitutional process that is now underway. This matter is going to be handled with the seriousness, and with the delicacy, it requires. We have to secure the interests of all South Africans,” Ramaphosa said.
His engagement with the affluent community of Lynwood in Pretoria was “part of our deliberate efforts to engage with diverse sectors, thus giving effect to our commitment to renewal and igniting the cusp of hope in the nation”, according to the ANC.
NM/as/APA