News / Africa
South Africa's ANC Youth league outlines plans to grab land and mines
12 Apr 2011 at 14:35hrs | Views
Julius Malema's ANC Youth League headlines proposals to grab land and a majority stake in the country's mines in a new economic policy discussion document released today.
The document, called "A clarion call to economic freedom fighters: Programme of action for economic freedom in our lifetime", pulls no punches.
Read the full document here.
"The post democratic government has not done well in the transformation of the economy. The ANC did not use the political power at its disposal to transfer the economy from the minority to the people as a whole," the youth league argues.
The document highlights stark data on unemployment and the wealth gap and proposes seven "cardinal pillars" of economic transformation:
- Expropriation without compensation for equitable redistribution. Achieving the objectives of the Freedom Charter "can only happen through enabling the state to expropriate private property, particularly land and mines, without compensation for redistribution purposes";
- Nationalisation for industrialisation: "The transfer of wealth from the minority ... should include minerals, metals, banks, energy production and telecommunication";
- Inclusive and decentralised economic growth and development: The government should maintain existing economic infrastructure in built-up areas but should discourage further investment there and incentivise investment in rural and underdeveloped areas;
- Land restitution and agrarian reform: "No one should be allowed to own land forever because those who have money can over time buy huge plots of land and utilise them for counter-developmental private purposes";
- Building a strong developmental state and public service: "The task of fundamental economic transformation requires a strong state with the ability to develop clear strategic vision (and) implement and monitor progress made";
- Massive investment in the development of the African economy: "State-owned enterprises should heavily invest in infrastructure and industrial development of the African continent"; and
- Provision of education, skills and expertise to the people: "Concurrent to intensifying transformation of higher ediucation and training, government should establish a scholarship which will send students to the best universities outside South Africa to attain skills, education and experitise."
The 21-page document has been distributed to stimulate discussion ahead of the ANCYL's June conference, at which Malema, who has made nationalisation his flagship policy, will seek a further five-year term as president.
The document, called "A clarion call to economic freedom fighters: Programme of action for economic freedom in our lifetime", pulls no punches.
Read the full document here.
"The post democratic government has not done well in the transformation of the economy. The ANC did not use the political power at its disposal to transfer the economy from the minority to the people as a whole," the youth league argues.
The document highlights stark data on unemployment and the wealth gap and proposes seven "cardinal pillars" of economic transformation:
- Expropriation without compensation for equitable redistribution. Achieving the objectives of the Freedom Charter "can only happen through enabling the state to expropriate private property, particularly land and mines, without compensation for redistribution purposes";
- Nationalisation for industrialisation: "The transfer of wealth from the minority ... should include minerals, metals, banks, energy production and telecommunication";
- Inclusive and decentralised economic growth and development: The government should maintain existing economic infrastructure in built-up areas but should discourage further investment there and incentivise investment in rural and underdeveloped areas;
- Land restitution and agrarian reform: "No one should be allowed to own land forever because those who have money can over time buy huge plots of land and utilise them for counter-developmental private purposes";
- Building a strong developmental state and public service: "The task of fundamental economic transformation requires a strong state with the ability to develop clear strategic vision (and) implement and monitor progress made";
- Massive investment in the development of the African economy: "State-owned enterprises should heavily invest in infrastructure and industrial development of the African continent"; and
- Provision of education, skills and expertise to the people: "Concurrent to intensifying transformation of higher ediucation and training, government should establish a scholarship which will send students to the best universities outside South Africa to attain skills, education and experitise."
The 21-page document has been distributed to stimulate discussion ahead of the ANCYL's June conference, at which Malema, who has made nationalisation his flagship policy, will seek a further five-year term as president.
Source - Times
