EFF land grab threats in the Free State are illegal and irresponsible

11 February 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) views the comments by EFF leader in the Free State, Mandisa Makesini during an interview with Media24, regarding land grabs as illegal and irresponsible. It is alleged that Makesini has encouraged members of her party in the Free State to occupy and expropriate farms for their 70 EFF councillors and other marginalised people.

Such politically opportunistic comments only serve to create hostility among people in rural communities and create unnecessary expectations and tensions.

The Premier of the Free State, Sisi Ntombela, indicated in the Free State Legislature that illegal land grabs in the Free State will not be tolerated. We expect the provincial government to instruct law enforcement agencies to act swiftly and decisively against any such land invasions on municipal or private property. Politicians who instigate illegal activities must similarly be held accountable for inciting, aiding and abetting illegal activities.

Illegal politically motivated land invasions have the potential to turn violent. While municipalities have often reacted slowly to land grabs by residents, our agricultural community in the Free State regard such actions as farm attacks and will be treated as such.

The DA supports the legal acquisition and transfer of urban and agricultural property which is an important instrument for redress. Land reform and land restitution are constitutionally mandated tools that were developed to deal with past injustices in South Africa. The failure of land reform is, according to government’s own sources, due to corruption, the channelling of resources to elites and lack of support for beneficiaries of such initiatives. Current land owners cannot be held responsible for government’s administrative and political failures.

The EFF are aware of the reason for land reform failures and are using this in a populist manner to garner political support by unravelling social cohesion and undermining reconciliation in South African society. The ANC are unfortunately not far behind the EFF with attempts to legalise expropriation without compensation through constitutional amendments for political expediency.

The DA will monitor all illegal land grabs in the Free State and encourage and support actions by the provincial government to ensure stability in our rural communities. Property owners across the Free State who create employment and economic opportunities for our people must be protected and cherished.

Issued by Roy Jankielsohn, DA Leader of the Official Opposition in the Free State Legislature, 11 February 2020