JOHANNESBURG - Economist Mike Schussler believes that Economic Freedom Fighters leader, Julius Malema is misleading black South Africans on the issue of land.
In a recent speech, Malema reaffirmed his support for the the expropriation of land without compensation.
"We want to give land to our people, it is going to happen, it will happen in our lifetime, whether they like it or not. The land will be returned," he said.
"We are not going to listen to any Britain, we are not going to listen to European Parliament, we are not going to listen to UN -- we are going to listen to the people of South Africa," Malema added.
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He was referring to a letter sent Tuesday by right-wing British UKIP MEP Janice Atkinson to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson calling on London to "step in" over the issue of land redistribution in South Africa.
However, Shussler strongly disagrees with Malema's stance.
Using data which indicated that a specific group would feel the effects of such a policy, Schussler told BusinessTech : “I have a surprise for Mr Malema: Africans own 7.66 million houses (1st houses only) and whites own 730,000. The other two population groups combined own as many dwellings as whites. If the state expropriates this land without compensation, then the state will take 10 times more homes from Africans than whites,”
He further said that double the value would then be taken without compensation from Africans. He also said that 22% of black Africans own second homes – far less than 10% of white folk who do.
Schussler said that Africans have been successful in acquiring homes and Malema was trying to keep alive a sentiment that black South Africans are not successful.
He added that Malema would be mistaken to think that black South Africans would hand over their homes to the state.
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