‘(Whatever) is happening in South Africa now, will look like a picnic when the people will … have to take land for themselves….’
This is part of a statement by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy leader Floyd Shivambu in Parliament’s Section 25 ad-hoc committee meeting yesterday over which the Democratic Alliance (DA) says it will be filing a complaint with the legislature’s Ethics Committee.
He was referring to the ANC’s proposed amendment to the Constitution, which differs marginally from the EFF’s demand for custodianship of all land.
Shivambu said that, as a result ‘…the ANC will leave our people with no option but to engage in extra-judicial processes of land reform here in South Africa. So whatever is happening in South Africa now, will look like a picnic when the people will now have to take land for themselves…’.
IOL reports that DA caucus chairperson in Parliament Annelie Lotriet said she would be submitting an official complaint to the Ethics Committee following Shivambu’s threat, and would call the highest possible sanction against Shivambu.
Lotriet said in a statement: ‘Ignorant of the oath that he took as a Member of Parliament to defend and uphold the Constitution, Shivambu and his party have proved beyond any doubt that their objective is to burn down the foundations of our democracy by using violence as a political weapon.
‘The veiled threat that the anarchy in KZN, which has claimed over 100 lives, was a picnic compared to what is to come on land expropriation, should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves.’
She added that the EFF was a danger to the country’s democracy, and its willingness to condone violence should be rejected by all peace-loving South Africans.