EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivambu has launched a blistering rebuke of former President Thabo Mbeki, accusing him of being “completely out of touch” after remarks allegedly suggesting that black South Africans lack interest in land ownership or agriculture.
Shivambu dismissed Mbeki’s reported comments as detached and privileged, saying they ignore the lived experiences and aspirations of millions. “This is the kind of thinking that comes from a distance—from boardrooms and gated suburbs, not from real conversations with people on the ground,” he said.
He argued that across the country, there is clear and persistent demand for land access, farming support, and the resources needed to build self-sufficient livelihoods. “People want land. They want to grow food. They want economic independence,” Shivambu stated. “The fight for land is not over—it’s alive, urgent, and deeply rooted in our communities.”
The clash adds fuel to ongoing debates around land reform and redistribution—issues that remain unresolved and emotionally charged in post-apartheid South Africa. For Shivambu and the EFF, the message is clear: land remains central to justice, and any denial of that reality, no matter how respected the source, will be called out.
