Zuma: Land expropriation key to Madiba's vision of a free SA
Former president Jacob Zuma says South Africans only have
themselves to blame for the failure to attain economic freedom.
He was speaking at the centenary celebrations of the late former President Nelson Mandela at Mvezo, in the Eastern Cape.
Mandela's life was celebrated on Wednesday on what would have been his 100th birthday.
Zuma believes allegations that Madiba sold out country during negotiations ahead of the 1994 elections could not be further from the truth.
"Madiba never sold out. Madiba fought for this country, to liberate it. He sacrificed (as) the longest-serving political prisoner.
"I believe what people are doing is a failure to take South Africa forward and they want to blame the man who brought freedom. It is important for all of us to appreciate that achieving freedom is like a relay race. Some will liberate the country but others have to develop the country. Madiba liberated the country.
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"Madiba brought political freedom, which is absolutely important. If we failed to use it to advance our struggle to economic freedom and security freedom, let us not blame Madiba.
"Let us blame ourselves."
Zuma also took the opportunity to speak about the issue of land expropriation without compensation, saying the return of the land to its rightful owners would complete Mandela's vision of a completely free South Africa.
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