If the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) win a majority in the 2024 polls, 50 per cent of South Africa's land will be expropriated without compensation by the end of 2025. Party leader Julius Malema says women should be the main beneficiaries of the move.
The Red Beret leader said he would amend the constitution to allow land expropriation without compensation. In 2021, the EFF and the Democratic Alliance (DA) rejected a land bill that proposed expropriating land without compensation in certain circumstances.
Addressing party members and supporters at the party's election manifesto launch in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Malema said the party remained steadfast in its quest to return the country to the majority.
“We are going to take the land, but we are not going to pay a penny. The land will be returned to us whether they like it or not. We will change Article 25. The ANC has hijacked this motion in Parliament. Now, when we have a majority, we will retake the seats and amend the Constitution. But land will be given to everyone. But most of this land will be given to women and young people.”
job creation
The EFF leader said one of the party's priorities is job creation. Mr Malema said this would be achieved through social housing and road infrastructure.
Malema estimates that this alone will create 4 million jobs. South Africa's unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2023 was 32.9%, one of the highest in the world.
The party's theme this election season is “Our land and jobs now. Stop loadshedding.”
“Comrades, we are going to create jobs and we make no apologies for saying we will create jobs for all South Africans, regardless of qualifications, age or background. That will come from housing and road infrastructure. Social housing and road infrastructure alone will create 4 million jobs.”
EFF election manifesto by SABC Digital News
government tender
Under the EFF government, government tenders will be abolished. According to Malema: Most corruption within government is often related to state procurement processes.
The government's bidding system has also been blamed for the collapse of several local governments and political killings in some states. Malema says under his government all services will be provided by the state.
“Comrades, we are no longer tendering under the EFF. There are no cleaning tenders, no security tenders, no horticulture tenders. There are no construction or maintenance tenders, no consultants, no professional services, no banking services, no phone calls. There is no Internet service, because all these departments will be brought in-house and will work for the government.”
EFF releases 2024 election manifesto.
Additional report Ntebo Mokobo
