Expedite land expropriation urges ANCYL
ALEXANDRA - Government should expedite land seisures to alleviate poverty impacting on mainly the youths.
Government should expedite land seizures to alleviate poverty which mainly impacts the youth.
This was said by ANC Youth League (ANCYL) member, Keith Maphutha on Youth Day.
Maphutha, chairperson of the league’s Andrew Radebe branch in Alex, said land distribution and ownership was central to all national transformation, development and economic programmes.
“Not much has changed in this aspect in the 20 years of democracy, as most land is still in the hands of a few at the expense of a majority who also need it to sustain their livelihoods, especially the youth whose unemployment rate of 26 percent rises annually,” he said
Maphutha said only seven percent of the national target of 13 percent for land transfers by 2013 had been achieved. “This means government should intensify its obligation to have more land transferred quickly in fulfilment of the Freedom Charter which doesn’t demand that it be done with compensation, and also as required by the Constitution.”
The delay, he said, contributed to endemic unemployment which could be drastically reduced through industry and agricultural projects for the youth on seized land.
“Some of the disused factories in Marlboro, Kew and other areas could be found to be on land that should be expropriated from absentee landlords for industrial and manufacturing projects to ease unemployment.”
Maphutha urged the City and government to move quickly in their finalising of land claims for property and land in Alex.
“The matter which has been stalled by a court interdict on the City and government by claimants should be resolved urgently to enable housing and other essential developments to be implemented,” he concluded.
