EDITORIAL: Business mute on land move
Debates are far from academic and those committed to the long-term prosperity of the country need to win them
Since the ANC, bulldozed by supporters of former president Jacob Zuma, first suggested at the elective conference in December 2017 that there was a need to change the constitution to accelerate reform, business has been rather muted in its response. For a while that seemed a reasonable reaction, perhaps in the hope that the subject would disappear of its own accord. Possibly they were also comforted by reassurances that this would be done without affecting the economy or food security. The idea that it was all about nothing was probably reinforced by most commentators, including the ANC leadership. President Cyril Ramaphosa, one of the authors of the constitution, lest we forget, agreed the country’s supreme law already made provision for the state to take land without paying for it. It is worth quoting what the document says on this point: "The amount of the compensation and the time and manner of payment must be just and equitable, reflecting an equitable balance between the publi...
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