Afriforum Apartheid

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JANUARY 31: Former National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) advocate Gerrie Nel and AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel during a media briefing to announce Nel’s resignation from the NPA on January 31, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“The ANC’s new land plan is theft, places us on Zimbabwe road” – AfriForum

AfriForum has unsurprisingly had a lot to say about the ANC’s decision to work to change the constitution for land expropriation without compensation.

Afriforum Apartheid

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JANUARY 31: Former National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) advocate Gerrie Nel and AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel during a media briefing to announce Nel’s resignation from the NPA on January 31, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

At the ANC’s 54th National Elective Conference this week, the ANC decided that it will now be party policy to change the constitution for land without expropriation. AfriFoum, the so-called “civil rights watchdog”, has now labelled that ANC’s stance “a decision to commit theft”.

Read: “Land redistribution without compensation” gets the ANC green light

AfroForum CEO Kallie Kriel released a statement saying that the ANC has now placed the country on “the same road of destruction that Zimbabwe followed in its violation of property rights.”

Kriel says the respect of property is “the cornerstone of a successful economy”.

“Countries that violate property rights are characterised by unemployment, poverty and economical decline. The ANC’s decision to violate property rights will therefore be to the detriment of everyone in the country, except the small group of elites who will benefit from the ANC’s plan,” Kriel says.

AfriForum also accused the ANC if not viewing the agreements during the 194 discussions as binding.

“Minorities and others who will suffer from the ANC’s violation of the 1994 agreements can therefore not place their hopes on any ANC leader and will have to take steps themselves to look after their own interests and properties,” Kriel adds.

The statement continues to warn that “the plan to steal” will not only destroy the economy, but will also renew the “friction and conflict”.

Things get even more ominous as the group says they and others “who have worked hard for what they have, will not sit back and watch while their properties are stolen.”

The ANC Provincial Chairperson Enoch Godongwana revealed the ANC’s decision on Wednesday.

 “There would be no timeline in the process of the redistribution of land, which needs to be tested for its sustainability. It must be sustainable. It must not affect food security and other economic sectors.”

Newly elected ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed further details about land expropriation and the ANC’s other resolutions will be made available in January.