There has been a political furore since an article published in the City Press on Sunday 04 March 2012. It quotes a discussion document by the African National Congress (ANC) that mentions a desire to relook at some of South Africa’s key policies decided in the early 1990s when our constitution was written. Things such as private land ownership, ‘willing buyer, willing seller’ with regards to land redistribution, independence of the judiciary, the power of the Constitutional Court etc have all been raised.
Many spheres of the media and opposition have jumped on this and acted as if this is ANC policy. What they have neglected to mention is that while these questions may seem a bit outlandish and frightening for South Africa let us see it for what it is: a discussion document. The ANC has a long history of asking tough questions that no one else wants to ask. They also have a long history of rugged debate. All the ANC is doing here is asking questions for discussion and I laud them for questioning things that are seen as sacrosanct and untouchable. We are a developing country in every sense of the word: economic and political, and when we stop asking questions we die.
Also, some of the questions asked in the ANC discussion document are very self-reflective, such as their inability to provide services and the view that they are becoming a party seen as plundering the coffers of the state. Why is it that the media and the opposition parties are not mentioning these?
If some of the discussions mentioned in the document were to become policy I would be the first to disagree, however, in the mean time let us praise the ANC for their honest appraisals of themselves and the country. I say “Well done ANC for asking some honest questions”
It's good indeed to see them taking stock, but I think their questioning is more sinister - and not at all honest.
ReplyDeleteCertainly land redistribution has failed, but the reason is clearly not the state's inability to repatriate land at will. It's because of the government's inability to plan financially. Gauteng MEC for housing and local government, Humphrey Memezi, is implicated in fraud allegations ranging from selling off RDP houses illegally to using his government credit card on a R40k shopping spree in India and R10K at McDonalds.
The talk of relooking the constitution and land reform policy and is the ANC's last wildcard, an (hopefully) empty promise which will be used to lure their disappearing informal settlement voters back. It's a grasping at straws to stay in power at all costs.
Whatever they say until 2014, the consensus after the 2014 election will be "this kind of land reform is not viable", much like their ideas on mine nationalisation have evaporated after the required popularity was generated from them.