ANC drawing back from EWC plans? Anthea Jeffery dives in
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are demanding that the Ad Hoc Committee – those responsible for drafting an EWC constitution amendment bill – change the bill to give the state control over all of South Africa’s land. The ANC, who have been in favour of going forward with land expropriation, seem to be distancing itself from this demand, says Anthea Jeffery of the IRR. Could it be that the ANC is retreating from it’s EWC plans? Not likely, says Jeffery. “Mr Xaba’s current concern for property rights may seem like a breath of fresh air and bring hope to many that the ANC is drawing back from its damaging EWC plans. In a host of other spheres, however, the ruling party’s determination to expand state ownership or control – as a crucial element in its socialist-orientated National Democratic Revolution (NDR) – continues apace.” The IRR’s Head of Policy Research notes that the controlling party still plans on going forward with the Expropriation Bill of 2020, the National Health Insurance Bill and the prohibition of firearms to be used in self-defence, among other things. – Jarryd Neves