Evictions are a threat to reversing the legacy if the past
Despite chilly temperatures, pouring rain and even hail, over the past few days and weeks in Op de Tredoux Farm, near Barrydale, in the Western Cape, a plethora of farm workers and dwellers were virtually evicted in the Western Cape, leaving a trail of destruction such as broken windows, displaced families and destroyed roofs.
To date, the repairs to the homes of the farm workers and dwellers have not commenced but the Ministry remains optimistic that the farmer will comply with the court order and begin the repairs as soon as possible.
The Deputy Minister also is perturbed and worried by the silence of organised agriculture groups and the Western Cape Provincial Government on such a serious matter. “We cannot speak of a commitment to land reform and reversing the injustices of the past whilst we treat our own people like animals, as under apartheid,” Deputy Minister Skwatsha said today.
The Deputy Minister has stressed that he will continue to keep a close eye on this profound and serious matter and ensure that the proper legal avenues are followed.
Since the dawn of democracy, numerous people on farms, either farmworkers or dwellers have been besieged with evictions. It is against this backdrop that the government initiated the Extension of Tenure and Security Act (ESTA), 62 of 1997 - a piece of legislation that secures tenure rights for people on farms. The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has decided to strengthen the Extension of Security of Tenure Act of 1997 to give it power to protect farm workers against illegal evictions.
This act is being amended in order to regulate the rights of farm workers and to further regulate the eviction of farm occupiers by enforcing alternative resolution mechanisms provided for in the act. The amended act will provide for the establishment of land rights management boards and land rights management committees whose functions would be to identify, monitor and settle land rights disputes. These institutions will also establish and maintain a database of farm occupiers, land rights disputes and evictions. When this law is operational, it will make it difficult for farm owners to willy-nilly chase farm workers off farms.
The Extension of Security of Tenure Amendment Bill, 2013, was gazetted in October last year and will soon see its way to the Cabinet and finally to Parliament. The sooner this law is passed by our Parliament and assented to by the president, the better because it will bring huge relief to farm workers. Farm evictions have been going on for decades.
The painful part about farm evictions is that most of the farm dwellers know no other life other than being born and growing up in the farms. It has recently been fashionable for callous farm owners to boot out their unwanted farm workers and dump them alongside the roads. It is, therefore, imperative that the mass media should educate these farm destitute by publishing the sources and institutions which help farm workers in times of need so they could speedily come to the rescue of these people who have found themselves under siege.
Farm workers who have been evicted from their farms should immediately call the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform toll free number, 08007095, so they could be assisted soonest by the department. Some of our heartless fellow countrymen have displayed extreme lack of sympathy for the downtrodden in our society. It is for this reason that those who are capable of fighting for the underdogs should stand up and show their mettle. The country needs them more than at any other time.
In ensuring tenure security on behalf of land occupiers and creating harmonious relations on farms, the Ministry will always condemn the sporadic incidents of farm murders and farm evictions.
Enquiries:
Ms Linda Page
Tel: 012 312 8502
Cell: 083 460 4482
