News / National
'Zimbabwe land reform a fit for South Africa'
04 Mar 2013 at 13:26hrs | Views
The former deputy president of the ANC Youth League, Andile Lungisa, believes President Robert Mugabe's land reform policy in Zimbabwe should serve as a blueprint for South Africa.
Lungisa was among those who attended Mugabe's $600000 birthday bash in the small mining town of Bindura.
Lungisa is the president of the Pan-African Youth Union.
Taking to the podium to address the 50000-strong crowd, Lungisa said: "We are saying in South Africa and the whole of Africa, we should emulate Zimbabwe."
Lungisa was invited by Zanu-PF's youth wing alongside other youth leaders from regional liberation front movements.
Under Mugabe's land reform policy, roughly 4000 white farmers had their land seized without compensation . At present, there are less than 300 white commercial farmers still operating, but their land remains targeted.
Farmers who resist eviction face at least two years' imprisonment.
It is widely believed that Mugabe's land reform policy resulted in his nation's economic ruin, and severe lack of food security. "We are saying in South Africa and the whole of Africa, we should emulate Zimbabwe," Lungisa added.
Pedzisai Ruhanya, the former news editor of the banned Zimbabwean independent newspaper Daily News, said Lungisa's comments amounted to mere politicking in a bid to impress Mugabe.
"The ANC exists in a very active community not as passive as Zimbabwe. So to take the same position as Zanu-PF is impossible in South Africa."
A few days before the birthday bash, the 12-year-old son of a member of one of the two MDC factions was killed in an arson attack.
Some have alleged that one of Mugabe's close allies was responsible for the attack.
"Even when [someone] gets killed by a cow; they blame it on Zanu-PF," Mugabe said.
Lungisa was among those who attended Mugabe's $600000 birthday bash in the small mining town of Bindura.
Lungisa is the president of the Pan-African Youth Union.
Taking to the podium to address the 50000-strong crowd, Lungisa said: "We are saying in South Africa and the whole of Africa, we should emulate Zimbabwe."
Lungisa was invited by Zanu-PF's youth wing alongside other youth leaders from regional liberation front movements.
Under Mugabe's land reform policy, roughly 4000 white farmers had their land seized without compensation . At present, there are less than 300 white commercial farmers still operating, but their land remains targeted.
It is widely believed that Mugabe's land reform policy resulted in his nation's economic ruin, and severe lack of food security. "We are saying in South Africa and the whole of Africa, we should emulate Zimbabwe," Lungisa added.
Pedzisai Ruhanya, the former news editor of the banned Zimbabwean independent newspaper Daily News, said Lungisa's comments amounted to mere politicking in a bid to impress Mugabe.
"The ANC exists in a very active community not as passive as Zimbabwe. So to take the same position as Zanu-PF is impossible in South Africa."
A few days before the birthday bash, the 12-year-old son of a member of one of the two MDC factions was killed in an arson attack.
Some have alleged that one of Mugabe's close allies was responsible for the attack.
"Even when [someone] gets killed by a cow; they blame it on Zanu-PF," Mugabe said.
Source - timeslive
