Zuma Incites Race War In South Africa

Zuma: "It is now time for action."

A controversial proposal from South Africa's President Zuma is dramatically raising the risk of an outright race war.  The embattled president is now openly demanding that land owned by white 'occupiers' be taken without compensation.  Zuma has called on lawmakers to help seize white-owned land and establish "pre-colonial" ownership.

Amazingly, he has conceded that the measure would trigger a racial war in a country historically blighted by racial tensions.    Speaking to parliament, he called for unity between black parties in order to pass the controversial change, which would require a constitutional amendment.

Zuma also revealed that an audit of 'pre-colonial land ownership' had begun, and once completed, it would form a blueprint for handling one "land restitution without compensation."  The Institute of Race Relations, an independent research body, said that providing a racial breakdown of South Africa’s rural landowners would be “almost impossible”.  While a racial breakdown of land ownership is not available in South Africa, there is widespread belief that it largely favors the country's white population.

Zuma's words caused outrage among groups representing Afrikaans farmers.  Following Zuma's speech, Andries Breytenbach, who heads the Boer Afrikaner Volksraad, described it as "a declaration of war."  Breytenbach told reporters, "We are ready to fight back. We need urgent mediation between us and the government. If this starts, it will turn into a racial war which we want to prevent."