FF Plus makes a breakthrough with president’s concession regarding police action during illegal land occupation

14 March 2018

The police cannot simply stand by and look on while land is being illegally invaded and occupied. It is illegal and the police must take action and arrest the transgressors.

Today during question time in parliament, Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa made this very important concession in response to a question posed by Dr Pieter Groenewald, leader of the FF Plus. Dr Groenewald asked why the police are not taking action against illegal occupants and why the onus rests on landowners to secure court orders to force the police to take the necessary action.

Dr Groenewald also told the president that a sensible debate about land reform will only be possible once the premise that existing white landowners obtained their land in a legal, honest and hard-working manner is accepted. The fact that farmers work very hard to feed South Africa also deserves more recognition.

Furthermore, Dr Groenewald stated that expropriation without compensation will not solve the land reform problem.

“The former Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Gugile Nkwinti, admitted in parliament that 93% of the restitution beneficiaries did not want the land, but preferred money.

“He also admitted that the government is in possession of 99% of the title deeds of all the land that has been obtained though land reform programs thus far.”

Dr Groenewald added that if the president really is serious about making a success of the land reform initiative, then the government must start allocating the more than 4000 farms in its possession to beneficiaries.

In response to this, the president conceded that the government and state entities are indeed in possession of large quantities of land that will be used in the land reform process.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 14 March 2018