DA condemns Floyd Shivambu’s threat of violence on land reform

16 July 2021

The DA strongly condemns Floyd Shivambu’s threat to use extrajudicial methods to forcefully expropriate land without compensation. This is not only reckless but is also dangerous as it borders on incitement to commit violence and undermine South Africa’s constitutional order.

We will be submitting an official complaint to the Parliament Ethics Committee and request that they issue the highest possible sanction against Shivambu for his remarks that clearly undermine the rule of law and places the lives of South Africans at risk.

In a statement made in today’s session of the Section 25 Ad-hoc Committee, Shivambu made the following incendiary statement:

“…the ANC will leave our people with no option but to engage in extrajudicial processes of land reform here in South Africa. So whatever is happening in South Africa now will look like a picnic when the people will now have to take land for themselves…”

Ignorant of the oath that he took as a Member of Parliament to defend and uphold the Constitution, Shivambu and his party have proved beyond any doubt that their objective is to burn down the foundations of our democracy by using violence as a political weapon.

The veiled threat that the anarchy in KZN, which has claimed over 100 lives, was a picnic compared to what is to come on land expropriation, should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. The EFF is a danger to our democracy and its willingness to condone violence should be rejected by all peace loving South Africans.

We have watched in horror as ANC factionalism in KZN has fuelled complete anarchy which has resulted in rampant looting and destruction of property. This can never be South Africa’s future and the DA completely rejects the EFF’s doctrine of violence.

Statement issued by Annette Steyn MP - DA Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development, 16 July 2021