Mogoeng: Compromise the only solution to land reform
Updated | By Sibahle Motha
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng believes that compromise is the only solution to the thorny issue of land expropriation without compensation.
Mogoeng addressed the Gordon Institute of Business and Science in Johannesburg on Thursday evening.
“What is the acceptable solution of people who want to avoid a conflagration that is looming in the horizon? What is the best solution where in circumstances where you see that danger is coming and we need to avert it? Compromise - a difficult solution but that is acceptable to all of us,” said Mogoeng.
The issue of land expropriation without compensation has set tongues wagging both nationally and internationally.
US President Donald Trump also weighed in on the issue a few weeks ago, asking his state department to look into the matter.
On Thursday, Parliament’s joint constitutional review committee decided to allow additional oral representations on the issue.
The committee held public hearings in several cities and towns around the country, to allow the public could make submissions on the possible amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution.
However the chief justice believes that land expropriation should take place with or without the amendment of the constitution.
“You don’t really need the constitution. You can proactively as South Africans from the heart, recognise from the injustices from the past and say okay 'I am a farmer, we are farmers, we are big companies with lots and lots of land'. What is the just approach to the land issue? We can’t have it all but you also can’t just give it all up like that. What is the best solution that will be acceptable to everybody even if it is going to pain all of us?” he added.
Concerns have also raised of a possible threat to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights should it be amended to allow for land expropriation without compensation.
Mogoeng says only South Africans can decide on what they want to do with their Constitution.
“South Africans must be the ones who want to decide on what they want to do with their Constitution. The Constitution is there and the laws are there to serve them all and serve them all well,” he said.
#JusticeMogoeng gives his insight on the issue of land. pic.twitter.com/1CR9D4AdpC
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) September 20, 2018
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