DA accuses Gwede Mantashe for being populism

Jaimie-faith Poonah
02 March 2015

Democratic Alliance MP of Rural Development and Land Reform Thomas Walters has allegedly accused the National Secretary General of the African National Congress Gwede Mantashe for being populism.

Mantashe was quoted as warning farmers in South Africa to work with the ANC on populist policies such as forced expropriation and capping land ownership.

Walters says Mantashe’s statement is an attempt to shift the blame elsewhere for government’s failures.

Walters said: “Gwede Mantashe’s remarks should be seen in the context of an ANC that has personally failed with abundant resources in Land Reform, rather than trying to shift the blame elsewhere and use a bogey man to scare farmers.”

Walters said: “He should focus on making Land Reform work and not perpetuate the failures that we’ve seem up until now, it’s an irresponsible remark and simple not consistent with what we’ve seen in the National Development plan and what the country needs, so it should ber ignored and treated with content.”