Die verdere voorgestelde wysigings aan artikel 25 van die Grondwet deur die ANC – kort voor die spertyd – is niks anders as ‘n poging om die EFF te paai voor die verkiesing nie.
Die ad hoc-komitee moet vandag, op 31 Mei 2021, hulle werk oor hierdie kwessie afhandel, maar het Vrydag aangekondig dat hulle nou die volledige artikel 25 sal wysig en nie net sekere gedeeltes nie. Die gedeeltes wat hierop betrekking het, is die punte waarop die EFF sedert die begin van die proses hamer. Dit behels dat enige natuurlike hulpbronne (en eiendom) sonder vergoeding onteien kan word solank as dit vir ‘n openbare doel of in die openbare belang is.
“Hierdie beskrywing is doelbewus so vaag sodat enigiets wat privaat besit word, sonder vergoeding onteien kan word,” sê mnr. Henry Geldenhuys, die president van TLU SA. “Die EFF maak geen geheim daarvan dat dit ‘n sosialistiese agenda nastreef nie en hierdie voorstelle sluit 100% hierby aan. Die EFF het dit ook al duidelik gemaak dat hulle onder geen omstandighede van hierdie voorstelle sal afstand doen nie. Dit is dus baie duidelik dat die ANC se ommeswaai na bilaterale gesprekke met die EFF ‘n poging is om steun te wen in die komende verkiesing.”
Die ad hoc-komitee sal die parlement versoek dat die spertyd om wysigings aan artikel 25 te maak met 30 dae verleng word aangesien die werk nog nie afgehandel is nie.
“Die ekstra tyd is waarskynlik versoek sodat die ANC en EFF beter kan uitwerk wie watter eiendom gaan onteien en hoe hulle daaruit voordeel gaan trek,” sê mnr. Geldenhuys. “Die skielike aankondiging van die ANC dat die hele artikel gewysig moet word, is beslis nie om toe te gee aan die ‘deelnemende demokrasie’ soos wat die komitee se voorsitter daarna verwys nie. Dit is belangrik om na ‘die mense van Suid-Afrika’ se insette te luister. Maar dit is ook belangrik om realisties te wees en te besef dat die ekonomie nie hierdie voorstelle gaan kan dra nie.”
TLU SA not fooled by ANC’s coaxing of EFF about expropriation
The further suggested amendments to Section 25 of the Constitution – shortly before the deadline – is nothing more than the ANC trying to coax the EFF before the elections.
The ad hoc committee must complete their work today, 31 May 2021, but announced on Friday that they now want to amend the entire Section 25 and not just specific sub-sections. The relevant sub-sections are those the EFF had been hammering on since the process started. It entails that any natural resources (and property) can be expropriated without compensation as long as it is in the public interest or for a public purpose.
“This description is purposely vague so that the government can expropriate anything in private ownership without compensation,” says Mr Henry Geldenhuys, the president of TLU SA. “The EFF is very vocal about their socialist agenda, and these suggestions fit in 100%. The EFF had made it very clear that they will not under any circumstances give a step back on these suggestions. It is thus crystal clear that the ANC’s about-turn after bilateral discussions with the EFF is their attempt at winning support before the coming election.”
The ad hoc committee will ask the parliament to extend the deadline to amend Section 25 by 30 days since they have not completed their task.
“The ANC and EFF will probably use the extra time to decide who will expropriate which properties and who will benefit from it,” says Mr Geldenhuys. “The sudden announcement by the ANC to amend the entire Section 25 is certainly not to serve the purpose of ‘participatory democracy’ as the chairperson described it. It is important to listen to ‘the people of South Africa’. But it is also important to be realistic and admit that the economy won’t carry these suggestions.”
