ANC PRESIDENT CDE CYRIL RAMAPHOSA FRUITFUL MEETING WITH ‘INGONYAMA’ - ZULU KING GOODWILL ZWELITHINI
7 July 2018
The President of the African National Congress Cde Cyril Ramaphosa held a fruitful and constructive engagement with ‘Ingonyama’ - Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini on Friday, 6th July 2018 in KwaZulu-Natal.
President Ramaphosa who interacts with the Zulu King on matters of public interest from time to time, assured Ingonyama that the ongoing efforts to expropriate land without compensation have never been intended for or targeted at communal land, which is mainly held under the custodianship of traditional leaders for and in the interest of the people.
Communal land constitutes only about 13% of land. Land being targeted for compensation is the remaining 87% and all expropriation undertakings will be lawful and in just accordance with the expressions and desires of the people of South Africa.
“We have no intention to tamper with the land that is being administered by our Chiefs on behalf of the people”. President Ramaphosa went further to clarify that the views of the “High Level Panel on the Assessment of Key legislation and the acceleration of fundamental change” are the independent recommendations of the panel, which all South Africans, including the ANC are engaging on.
The President also updated the King on the appointment of an interministerial committee on land reform which he had established in his capacity as President of the Republic to coordinate and implement measures to accelerate the redistribution of land, the extension of security of tenure, the provision of agricultural support and the redress of spatial inequality within a broad and comprehensive land redistribution and agricultural development programme. Addressing ANC Volunteers at the #ThumaMina roll out in KwaDukuza, President Ramaphosa reiterated the position as conveyed to Ingonyama during their fruitful interaction: “We reaffirmed that the land that is under the control of Ingonyama Trust was as per legislation and we assured His Majesty that neither the government nor the ANC had any intention of taking land from the Ingonyama Trust which it has custody of on behalf of the people of KwaZulu-Natal."
An agreement was reached that further engagements on the land question would assist both parties going forward.
President Ramaphosa again conveyed his condolences to former President Zuma on the loss of his son: “I spoke to former President Zuma and conveyed my condolences on the passing on of his son, who is being laid to rest today, we continue to work well together with former President Jacob Zuma and wish him and his family strength during this difficult time”
Statement issued by the African National Congress, 7 July 2018
