Johnathan Paoli
THE Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) has lashed back after being labelled as “sell-outs” by members of the Progressive Caucus (PC).
PAC secretary-general Apa Pooe on Thursday denied the claims and said they are lacking a deep understanding of the party’s long-standing principles and objectives.
The PC had a media briefing before President Cyril Ramaphosa Opening of Parliament Address on Thursday where both the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Julius Malema, and the deputy president of the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party John Hlophe referred to the PAC as selling out, following its participation to the government of national unity (GNU).
Pooe likened the accusations to “new-born Christians calling Jesus a sell-out” saying the PAC has always maintained the positions that its critics, who were previously in the African National Congress (ANC), now support.
He said the party’s primary historic objective is to unite Africans, not just sections, and reaffirmed the PAC’s commitment to some ideas that the PC now believe they champion.
“We remain strong and steadfast on our primary objective of being the vanguard of the African child, the PAC is the only hope and solution to the loud unheard cries of the children of the soil,” he said.
However, Pooe said the PAC remained willing to engage with PC, as there is significant agreement on key issues.
Following Ramaphosa’s Opening of Parliament address (OPA), PAC president Mzwanele Nyhontso said in his role as Land Reform and Rural Development Minister, land transfer will be prioritised.
“We are going to start our work tomorrow to ensure that land is redistributed and make sure that rural areas are developed,” Nyhontso said.
During the OPA, President Ramaphosa said the 7th administration would ensure a revitalisation of both land reform and rural development.
“We will increase funding to land reform, prioritise the transfer of state land and improve post-settlement support by strengthening the institutional capacity of responsible structures,” the president said.
Nyhontso welcomed the news and said his department would hit the ground running.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) previously shot down a proposal by Nyhontso of amending section 25 of the Constitution to allow private land expropriation without compensation.
Nyhontso said his party had prepared a departmental strategy for the GNU to consider within the context of land dispossession in order to illustrate a system which had resulted in vast inequalities in land ownership and rural development.
“Addressing these issues is critical to achieving social justice, economic growth, and sustainable development,” Nyontso said.
However, DA member of the Land Reform and Rural Development Portfolio Committee, Mlindi Nhanha said Nyhontso’s proposal was counter-productive and contrary to the spirit of the Statement of Intent (SOI) which underpinned the GNU.
Nhanha said Parliament had rejected proposals to amend Section 25 of the Constitution and that any attempt to re-open the matter would result in “economic instability”.
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