Swazi Observer

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AWUBUYE: BRC WANTS TO MEET CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

By Sisho Magagula | 2018-07-20

THE Border Restoration Committee (BRC) wants to meet face-to-face with President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa and discuss the land issue.

This was disclosed by BRC Chairman Prince Guduza when addressing the media yesterday. The prince said they wanted to engage Ramaphosa in his capacity as President of the African National Congress (ANC), which is South Africa’s ruling party.

Giving a background to the land issue, Prince Guduza said the Kingdom of Eswatini has been trying to reclaim its land from South Africa for over three decades now.

He said even during the reign of King Sobhuza II, the land issue was a very topical issue as the deceased monarch wanted the land to return to Emaswati.

“The issue of the land was under active discussion between the ANC and King Sobhuza II in 1982. In fact, at that point, the ANC had already acknowledged that some parts of the land within the republic actually belonged to Eswatini. The ANC said when they attain democracy and come into power, they would work on the issue and ensure that the land returns to us. It is on that premise that we now want to meet the ANC leader. We want the ANC to fulfil the promise they made in 1982,” he said.

BRC member Mabili Dlamini echoed the prince’s words and said they had already written a letter to the office of the ANC president, requesting such meeting.

“There is democracy now in South Africa and the ANC is the ruling party. It is for this reason that we want to engage the president,” he said.

Dlamini also explained that they were fully cognisant of the fact the issue of land expropriation without compensation was an internal issue involving South Africans and that is why they were exercising caution in their dealings.

“This is an internal debate in South Africa and their laws prohibit us from discussing it in the republic. We have, therefore, decided to seek the intervention of the Speaker of the South African parliament. We are preparing to write to the Speaker and request her to give us a chance to present our case. It is in their discretion to allow us to present our case. We have also sent a diplomatic note to the South African government, asking for the resumption of talks with their government over the land issue,” he said.

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