The decision of the ANC government to go ahead with changes to Section 25 of the Constitution – which relates to expropriation without compensation – is short-sighted.
A motion about the ad hoc committee which will initiate and introduce this legislation, was today approved by the National Assembly. The committee will continue where the fifth parliament ended in December 2018 and has to give feedback to the National Assembly by the end of March 2020.
“Expropriation without compensation will not deliver any good results,” says Mr Louis Meintjes, the President of TLU SA. “Research shows most of the applicants do not have the knowledge or capacity to sustainably manage the land, which at the moment contributes significantly to the rural and national economy. In most cases, they would instead opt to be financially compensated than to be in charge of the land.
“The past has shown us most of the land previously expropriated now lies barren because the government did not care enough to support the new owners to manage the land successfully.”
TLU SA believes that it is hugely irresponsible to go ahead with these amendments. Not only will it have a direct effect on farmers, their workers and the rural parts of the country, but also on the confidence foreign investors have in the future of the country.
“When an investor’s private ownership is implicated, it will naturally not be wise for them to invest their assets there,” says Mr Meintjies.
“These types of decisions also have an effect on the safety of farmers with supporters of Andile Mngxitama of the BLF and like-minded people being swept up by the process and taking the law into their own hands.
“Just last week President Ramaphosa said he condemns farm murders, but today his government makes decisions which contradicts it completely.”
TLU SA
Datum: 25 Julie 2019
Navrae: Mnr Louis Meintjes, President TLU SA,
Sel.: 082 461 7262
Mnr Bennie van Zyl, Hoofbestuurder TLU SA,
Sel.: 082 466 4470
Die besluit van die ANC-regering om voort te gaan om wetgewing rondom artikel 25 van die Grondwet - wat handel oor onteiening sonder vergoeding – te verander, is kortsigtig.
‘n Mosie oor die ad hoc-komitee wat die wysigings aan die wetgewing moet hersien en implementeer, is vandag deur die Nasionale Vergadering goedgekeur. Die komitee sal voortgaan waar die vyfde parlement in Desember 2018 opgehou het, en moet teen einde Maart 2020 terugvoer aan die Nasionale Vergadering gee.
“Onteiening sonder vergoeding sal nie enige goeie resultate meebring nie,” sê mnr. Louis Meintjes, die President van TLU SA. “Navorsing toon dat die meeste aansoekers nie die kennis of vermoë het om grond wat nou winsgewend tot die landelike en nasionale ekonomie bydra, volhoubaar te bestuur nie en in elk geval eerder verkies om finansieel vergoed te word as om met die grond opgesaal te word.
“Die verlede het ook reeds gewys dat die meeste grond wat voorheen onteien is nou nutteloos lê omdat die regering die nuwe eienaars nie voldoende bygestaan het om dit suksesvol te bestuur nie.”
TLU SA staan by die mening dat dit uiters onverantwoordelik is om met hierdie wysigings voort te gaan. Dit het nie net ‘n direkte invloed op boere, hulle werkers en die platteland nie, maar ook op die vertroue wat buitelandse beleggers in die land het.
“Wanneer ‘n belegger se privaat besitreg in gedrang is, sal dit vanselfsprekend nie wys wees om dan jou bates daar te belê nie,” sê mnr. Meintjes.
“Dié tipe besluite het ook ‘n invloed op die veiligheid van boere met ondersteuners van Andile Mngxitama van die BLF en soortgelyke denkers wat opgesweep word deur die proses en dan die reg in eie hande neem.
“President Ramaphosa het net verlede week gesê dat hy plaasmoorde veroordeel, maar vandag maak sy regering besluite wat dit heeltemal weerspreek.”
