Trevor Kamoto ends his letter by saying that, once enacted, the Expropriation Bill “will ensure black South Africans, who make up the majority of this country's population, will have access to land, wealth, and ultimately dignity” (“Expropriation Bill offers blacks relief from exclusion”, March 1).
This is tragic and dangerous wishful thinking that stems from buying into the slippery propaganda of the ANC. I'm a 29-year old white South African. I don’t own land. I have, however, read the Expropriation Bill. Kamoto seemingly hasn’t.
Because I’ve read the bill I am aware that it contains absolutely nothing concrete relating to giving anyone but the state access to and ownership of land, and that its provisions apply to all forms of property, not just land. I also know the destruction of property rights is directly and ruthlessly causal to the destruction of property value.
Furthermore, having followed cases such as those of David Rakgase and Ivan Cloete, and because I’m familiar with the government’s state land lease and disposal policy, I know the SACP-ANC government and its ideological allies have explicitly stated that their intention is to reserve land ownership for the state alone, at the cost of those who long for the economic and other opportunities owning property provides.
People such as Kamoto are being taken for a ride that will end in tears.
Hermann Pretorius
SA Institute of Race Relations
