LETTER: Nonsense in Zuma land

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense,” said Alice after arriving in Wonderland. Here in SA, we have our own Alice, former president Jacob Zuma.

Speaking outside the high court in Johannesburg, MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said his party “welcomes Afrikaners with open arms... they are indigenous to SA... they have a great deal of knowledge that can be transferred to our people”.

Yet the same Zuma wants to do away with Roman-Dutch law and “return the land to the people”. This will appal many, and will most certainly will not endear him to Afrikaners.

The fact is that the Afrikaners of Dutch descent brought the SA version of Roman-Dutch law to the country. Our law is therefore as indigenous to SA as they are. Afrikaner culture is also steeped in the land. Zuma is right that invaluable Afrikaner knowledge and skills should be shared with the majority, but they cannot do so if they are bereft of their land.

The Afrikaner commercial farming culture, and the business culture that emanated therefrom, are deeply rooted. To convey these cultures to broader society is an admirable goal, but this would require the commitment and confidence that only secure property title confers.

Title to property is the foundation of our law. Do away with that law and chaos — a Greek word for a vast chasm or void — beckons. 

Willem Cronje
Cape Town

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