ANC Leaders Clash Over Land Expropriation Policy at NGC

Key Takeaways

• The African National Congress (ANC) national general council (NGC) meeting exposed deep ideological rifts within the party over the future of South Africa’s land reform program.
• NEC member Andile Lungisa challenged the party’s approach to land expropriation, arguing that the ANC should revive its attempt to amend Section 25 of the constitution to allow for explicit expropriation without compensation.
• The debate over land reform has been a longstanding issue within the ANC, with different factions having competing views on how to address the legacy of apartheid-era dispossession.
• The ANC’s land reform program has been a key aspect of its mission to redress historical injustices and promote economic transformation.
• The party’s approach to land expropriation has been a source of tension, with some members advocating for a more radical approach and others pushing for a more moderate stance.

Introduction to the Land Reform Debate
The recent ANC national general council (NGC) meeting was marked by intense debates over the future of South Africa’s land reform program. The land question has long been a fundamental pillar of the ANC’s mission to redress apartheid-era dispossession, and the party’s approach to land expropriation has been a source of tension within the party. NEC member Andile Lungisa challenged the party’s approach to land expropriation, arguing that the ANC should revive its attempt to amend Section 25 of the constitution to allow for explicit expropriation without compensation. This move was met with fierce resistance from fellow NEC member Sihle Zikalala, who defended the government’s current land restitution and redistribution programs.

The Ideological Rifts Within the ANC
The debate over land reform has exposed deep ideological rifts within the ANC. Lungisa’s call to revive the party’s original land expropriation resolution was seen as a radical move, while Zikalala’s defense of the government’s current programs was viewed as a more moderate stance. The two NEC members have fundamentally different views on how to address the legacy of apartheid-era dispossession, with Lungisa advocating for a more radical approach and Zikalala pushing for a more incremental approach. The debate has highlighted the ongoing struggle within the ANC to balance the need for economic transformation with the need to promote social justice and redress historical injustices.

The History of the Land Reform Debate
The land question has shaped internal ANC politics for more than a decade. The issue was central to the ANC Youth League’s "economic freedom in our lifetime" rallying call, a period during which Lungisa emerged as one of its prominent leaders. The issue again caused major fractures at the ANC’s bruising 2017 national conference, where competing ideological factions clashed over how aggressively the state should pursue land redistribution. After intense debates, the radicals emerged victorious, with the conference resolving that the amendment of Section 25 of the constitution for land expropriation without compensation should be pursued. However, the implementation of this resolution has been slow, and the party’s approach to land reform has been criticized for being too moderate.

The Critique of Public-Private Partnerships
In addition to his critique of the party’s land expropriation approach, Lungisa also criticized the government for selling state assets to private individuals and condemned public-private partnerships (PPPs). He argued that PPPs amounted to handing over strategic assets to private interests, rejecting assertions from other delegates that such arrangements were simply long-term leases. Lungisa insisted that the state should instead focus on building capacity and strengthening public ownership. This critique reflects a broader concern within the ANC about the role of the private sector in the economy and the need for the state to play a more active role in promoting economic transformation.

The Way Forward
The consolidated report of the outcomes of the NGC commissions is still in the works and will most likely be completed in January. The report will provide a clearer picture of the party’s stance on land reform and other key issues. However, it is clear that the debate over land reform will continue to be a contentious issue within the ANC. The party will need to navigate the competing demands of different factions and stakeholders in order to develop a coherent and effective approach to land reform. Ultimately, the success of the ANC’s land reform program will depend on its ability to balance the need for economic transformation with the need to promote social justice and redress historical injustices.