Durban - President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday told South African landowners that land would not be illegally seized following weeks of national land invasions.
He was addressing the Good Friday service at the Covenant Fellowship Church in Esikhaleni on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast.
“We are not going to steal or grab land, but we must ensure our people get back their birth right to unlock great benefits."
“We are in a period full of great hope. We must do everything correctly within the law. ANC leaders must work for our people. Our leaders must be accountable for what we do. We must do everything in fear of our people. And do everything in service of our people. We must go down and humble ourselves to serve our people with dignity.”
Ramaphosa caused a stir when he was spotted flying economy class to Durban early on Friday morning. He was accompanied by ANC provincial convener Mike Mabuyakhulu and national executive committee member Senzo Mchunu.
Ramaphosa said unity was needed in the party. “When the ANC is united, that is when we are stronger and I know this church is praying and continues to pray for the unity of the ANC,” he said.
He said corruption had eroded the trust of people in the party.
“The ANC must serve the people of South Africa where there was corruption, we must say goodbye to corruption.”
Ramaphosa said the new youth employment service would create jobs and expropriation of land without compensation must be done within the confines of the law.
He added the ANC was committed to the implementation of radical socio-economic transformation to ensure that black people played a part in the economy.
“As we said in our 54th national conference, the land of our forefathers must be returned to our people without compensation. The ANC-led government is going to return the land. The land is the birth right of our people.”
He further promised that he would sign all required documents to ensure that people get their land back.
Meanwhile, former president Jacob Zuma on Friday urged religious leaders to pray for the second coming of Jesus Christ to cleanse the world of its sins.
Zuma was addressing thousands of eThekwini Community Church congregants during an Easter Good Friday service.
He is expected to appear before the Durban High Court on Friday on 16 charges related to fraud, corruption and racketeering in connection with 783 payments he allegedly received as part of the arms deal.
Zuma said all races should benefit from the country’s resources and not just a minority monopolising all the resources.
The former president said equality was spoken about in the country but was not a reality. He said when oppressed people allowed themselves to be oppressed, they were committing a sin, adding that God-given wealth was to be enjoyed by all.
Zuma said he was still oppressed and not yet free and despite having been president for close to a decade he never had a single beautiful year.