The recently released EFF manifest proclaimed that all land must be allocated to the state without compensation. Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tina Joemat Petterson, said in a consequent statement anyone who encouraged illegal action on farms would face the full might of the law. If Malema and EFF supporters occupied farms or agricultural land, action would be taken, she warned.
Agri SA Safety and Security chairperson, Kobus Breytenbach said the agricultural community should not waste time and energy on wild statements from individuals with their own political agendas and ideologies. “Each South African’s right to own property is entrenched in the Constitution. Farmers should not take any notice of Malema and the EFF’s threats. Malema’s credibility has been severely compromised by, amongst others, the fact that he owes R16 million to the South African Revenue Service.
We should much rather concentrate on the broader political spectrum and ignore irresponsible claims from radical fringe groups,” Breytenbach said. Political opportunism and radicalism should not be allowed to undermine the main stream norms and values on which South Africa is based, according to Agri SA President Johannes Möller.
