The Mercury’s editorial of January 17 endorsing the substance of the ANC’s call for radical expropriation of land provokes simultaneously a sense of sadness and outrage.
It beggars belief that the Mercury should lend credence to this latest ANC outburst of reckless populism which is nothing less than a desperate attempt to deflect attention from its failings and to shore up its declining support.
Calling for the expropriation of 70% of the land into state ownership is openly Marxist and Stalinist. For a paper that has charted the total demise of agriculture in Zimbabwe to support such a policy direction is outrageous. Clearly, the Mercury has not learned from history.
Yet you are aware that Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti has conceded that 92% of land restitution beneficiaries have opted for financial compensation rather than land.
You are aware that 90% of farms redistributed have failed.
So why do you endorse this totally irresponsible and unrealistic rant about restoring land that was “stolen?”
As it is food security is in jeopardy. If Stalinist expropriation of land is implemented, famine will follow. Zimbabwe is a case in point.
Like Mugabe, the ANC has only one ambition – to cling to power by all and any means, regardless of the consequences for South Africa.
It’s time The Mercury got its head out of the sand and recognised that reality.
Published in The Mercury
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