Duduzane Zuma Backs Land Expropriation as Commercial Collateral at BizNews Conference

• MKP deputy leader Duduzane Zuma addressed business leaders at the BizNews Conference in the Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal
• Zuma defended land expropriation without compensation as official MKP policy, framing it as a tool for commercial development
• The remarks came as Statistics South Africa reported unemployment climbing to 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026

KWAZULU-NATAL — uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) deputy leader Duduzane Zuma has publicly reaffirmed that land expropriation without compensation is entrenched in the party's policy framework, while insisting it should function as an economic instrument rather than a political statement.

According to Sunday World, Zuma, the son of former president Jacob Zuma, made the remarks at the BizNews Conference held in the Drakensberg region of KwaZulu-Natal, where he engaged directly with business leaders on questions of economic reform and private sector participation.

Speaking to conference delegates, Zuma outlined the MKP's position on land, which includes state custodianship of land, state ownership of natural resources, and the nationalisation of strategic mining companies and the South African Reserve Bank. He argued that expropriation, when carried out in an orderly manner, could unlock land as commercial collateral, enabling leasing, rental agreements and physical development.

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Zuma defends MKP economic manifesto

Despite holding a senior position in a party with a redistributionist platform, Zuma described himself as "a businessman and a capitalist at heart, rather than a greedy one." He told the audience that South Africa's economy is effectively split into three layers: a black entrepreneurial class dependent on state procurement, an established corporate sector, and an informal criminal economy. He urged political and business leaders to acknowledge these divisions and work towards shared ground.

Unemployment reality shapes the debate

Zuma's address coincided with the release of new data from Statistics South Africa, which recorded the official unemployment rate rising from 32.7% to 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026. He argued that structural debates around capitalism, state intervention and economic redistribution cannot be separated from this employment crisis, particularly as South Africa's political landscape begins shifting in anticipation of the 2029 national elections.

The conference appearance marks one of Duduzane Zuma's more prominent public engagements with the private sector since ascending to the MKP's second-highest leadership position, signalling a deliberate effort to position both himself and the party as credible interlocutors within business circles.

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View a video of him speaking at the event on X:

Zuma stopped a revolt: Duduzane

In a related article, Briefly News reported on Zuma's recent remarks at the BizNews Conference, where he argued that South Africans should be grateful to his father, former President Jacob Zuma, for preventing unrest in the country. This assertion has sparked significant debate, especially given Jacob Zuma's polarizing legacy and the ongoing political turmoil in South Africa.

Source: Briefly News