A FOUNDATION named after South Africa’s last apartheid president, Frederik Willem de Klerk, has criticised that country’s leader Cyril Ramaphosa for praising Zimbabwe’s ‘chaotic land grabs,’ and called for assurances that Pretoria will undertake a constitutional land reform.
Ramaphosa has attracted brickbats from the opposition and other stakeholders in his country for his remarks about Zimbabwe’s land reform programme aimed at correcting colonial ownership imbalances.
Ramaphosa lauded Zimbabwe’s efforts to dismantle colonial-era land ownership patterns, describing the 2000 land reform as “essential – for both historical redress and food security, development, and economic growth.”
He made the remarks when he visited Harare for the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show where he was the guest of honour.
The FW de Klerk Foundation said it was alarmed by Ramaphosa’s remarks. “As a foundation dedicated to constitutionalism and human rights, the FW de Klerk Foundation finds it incomprehensible that the head of state would celebrate a policy that incited such harm on a neighbouring nation,” the foundation said.
“President Ramaphosa’s remarks appear to re ect a blind political allegiance to Zimbabwe’s ruling party, placing solidarity above the lessons of history. “South Africa’s own history of dispossession demands redress, but it must be pursued within the framework of our constitution.”
In June this year, Ramaphosa signed into law a bill that allows land seizures without compensation in certain circumstances.
A month later, United States President Donald Trump said he will cut all future funding to South Africa over allegations that it was conspiring land and "treating certain classes of people very badly".
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Land ownership has long been a contentious issue in South Africa with most private farmland owned by white people, 30 years after the end of the racist system of apartheid.
“In contrast to Zimbabwe’s chaotic land grabs, our nation can address injustices through lawful reforms that uphold human dignity, social cohesion and economic growth,” the FW de Klerk Foundation said. “Expropriation without compensation (“EWC”), as contained in the Expropriation Act of 2024, remains inconsistent with these constitutional principles and should be rejected.” “We urge the Presidency to clarify that South Africa will not emulate Zimbabwe’s failed approach, but will instead pursue policies that promote justice, and stability within the law.”
The foundation’s executive director, Christo van der Rheede, said South should confront its own underutilised alternatives in addressing the land ownership imbalances. “Rather than glorifying Zimbabwe’s tragic example... the government should release state-owned land transparently and equip emerging farmers with the skills, capital and support needed to thrive,” he said.
An estimated US$3.5 billion is needed to compensate Zimbabwe’s former white farmers who lost land during the land reform programme. The compensation process is tied to Zimbabwe’s efforts to clear its arrears and rebuild international relations. Ramaphosa’s remarks were also criticised by the Democratic Alliance, which is part of South Africa’s ruling coalition alongside the ANC.
