No need to panic over land reform – Ramaphosa

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has once again assured South Africans that there is no need to panic over the issue of land claims in the country.

Addressing the Good Friday service at the Covenant Fellowship Church in eSikhaleni last week, Ramaphosa reiterated that expropriation without compensation will be implemented in a way that increases agricultural production, improves food security and ensures that the land is returned to those from whom it was taken under colonialism and apartheid.

His sentiments were expressed following a stir caused when he was spotted flying economy class to Durban earlier that morning.

‘We are not going to steal or grab land, but we must ensure our people get back their birth right to unlock great benefits.

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‘Black people must become the owners and the controllers and the managers of the country’s wealth.

‘In the time past‚ the country’s wealth was in white hands‚ controlled by whites and owned by whites.

‘We say this new period in which we are must result in a demonstrable change.

‘We must change the structure of our economy‚ economy and wealth must go back to the hands of the people of SA.’

Referring to the ANC’s 54th national conference, Ramaphosa said ‘The land of our forefathers must be returned to our people without compensation. The land is the birth right of our people.’

He further addressed the issue of unemployment, noting that at least 60% of people who are unemployed are the youth of our country.

ALSO READ: ANC wants land expropriation without further delay

Ramaphosa said that one way of addressing this is by rooting out corruption.

‘We must put our old ways behind us.

‘Where there was corruption‚ we must say goodbye to corruption in the state-owned enterprises so that they work for the people.

‘Where there was stealing of the resources of our people‚ we must say goodbye to those ways and put them behind us, and where there were people who were stealing the resources of our country‚ they must be dealt with severely because we don’t want corruption in our country.

‘They must address the issues of poverty‚ they must address the issues of job creation‚ they must address the issues of inequality.

‘All those state owned enterprises should not advance the interests of certain families or certain individuals,’ Ramaphosa said.

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