(Ecofin Agency) - For South African white farmers, presidents are all the same. Indeed, during his term in office, Jacob Zuma wanted to revise the constitution to facilitate the black majority’s expropriation of farms without compensation. His successor Cyril Ramaphosa continues in the same vein.

 “We will accelerate our land redistribution program not only to redress a grave historical injustice but also to bring more producers into the agricultural sector and to make more land available for cultivation, we will pursue a comprehensive approach that will include the expropriation of land without compensation,” he said in his state of the nation address, last Feb. 16 before the parliament in Cape Town.

“We are determined. We make a special call to financial institutions to be our partners in mobilizing resources to accelerate the land redistribution program as increased investment will be needed in this sector. Agriculture presents one of the greatest opportunities to significantly grow our economy and create jobs,” he added.

A great speech that won him the approval of the charismatic leader of the opposition, Julius Malema, on this sensitive issue. The latter told RFI that his party supported the expropriation of land without compensation and welcomes the government’s shrinkage. “We are satisfied,” he said.