Onwettige geweldadige afsetting van ‘n landbou produsent
Mpumalanga Landbou het met teleurstelling verneem van ‘n geweldadige afsetting die afgelope week van ‘n kommersiële produsent vanaf ‘n plaas naby Ermelo. Die onwettige afsetting was na bewering gedoen deur swaar gewapende lede van ‘n privaat sekuriteitsmaatskappy. Groot skade was aangerig aan eiendom ten tyde van die afsetting en besetting wat daarop gevolg het. Hierdie insident word ten sterkste veroordeel. Die SAPD word versoek om die saak as ‘n hoë prioriteit te ondersoek sodat die verantwoordelike instansies en individue so vining moontlik toepaslik aangekla en vervolg kan word.
Die betrokke lid was etlike jare betrokke as ‘n vennoot by ‘n grondhervormingsprojek. Die eiendom waar die insident plaasgevind het was deur die betrokke kommersiële boer aan die staat verkoop op voorwaarde van ‘n langtermyn huurooreenkoms met ‘n opsie vir hernuwing na dertig jaar. ‘n Maatskappy was gestig tussen die kommersiële boer en die werknemers as betrokke begunstigdes. Grondsake het egter sedert 2013 in gebreke gebly om die amptelike huurooreenkoms met die genoemde maatskappy uit te reik. Sonder ‘n amptelike huurooreenkoms, of bewys van eienaarskap, was toegang tot finansiering onmoontlik. Departement Grondsake het skynbaar in gebreke gebly om voorwaardes in die aanvanklike koopkontrak na te kom en in gevolge daarvan was eienaarskap van die eiendom ter sprake vroeër vanjaar weer gevestig by die oorspronklike eienaar. Nie teenstaande het Departement Grondsake voortgegaan met die uitreik van ‘n sogenaamde ‘’caretaker agreement’’ aan ‘n ander party op die bepaalde eiendom. Die kommersiële produsent ter sprake was verlede week deur hierdie swaargewapende lede van ‘n sekuriteitsmaatskappy, skynbaar in opdrag van die aangestelde ‘’caretakers’’ gedwing om die plaas onmiddellik te verlaat. Indien geldige redes wel bestaan vir enige uitsetting is daar voorgeskrewe prosedures waarvolgens ‘n uitsettingsbevel bekom kan word. Dit is dus totaal onaanvaarbaar en onwettig om enige plaasbewoner met aanvalsgewere vanaf sy of haar woonplek te verwyder.
Departement Grondsake het met gebrekkige implimentering van beleid, onbeholpe administrasie en beweerde ongerymdhede deur amptenare, ‘n gulde geleentheid vir ‘n suksesvolle en volhoubare vennootskap gekelder. Ten spyte van die staat se oënskynlike verbintenis tot ordelike grondhervorming op nasionale vlak, bevestig hierdie insident amptenare op grondvlak se skynbare gebrek aan toewyding tot ordelike en volhoubare grondhervorming. Hierdie insident maak dit moeilik vir Mpumalanga Landbou om ons lede aan te moedig tot deelname aan grondhervormingsprojekte waarby die staat betrokke is. Ongelukkig dra hierdie insident en die onbeholpe wyse waarop die Departement hulle verantwoordelikheid nagekom het weinig by tot die vestiging van ‘n vertrouensverhouding tussen kommersiële produsente en die owerheid. Alvorens die Departement nie tot ‘n veel hoër vlak van
effektiwiteit oorskakel nie bestaan daar geen motivering om betrokke te raak by die Departement se pogings tot grondhervorming nie.
Intussen, tot tyd en wyl die Departement kan bewys dat hulle werklik ernstig is met grondhervorming, word Mpumalanga Landbou se lede, met die aptyt tot deelname aan grondhervorming, aangemoedig om veel eerder gebruik te maak van die PALS inisiatief vir doeleindes van landbou ontwikkeling in ons provinsie.
Unlawful violent deposition of a commercial agricultural producer.
Mpumalanga Agriculture learned with disappointment of a violent deposition last week of a commercial producer from a farm near Ermelo. The unlawful deposition was allegedly carried out by heavily armed members of a private security company. Great damage was done to property at the time of the deposition and occupation that followed. This incident is strongly
condemned. The SAPS is requested to investigate the case as a high priority so that the responsible institutions and individuals can be charged appropriate and prosecuted as soon as possible.
The member in question was involved as a partner in a land reform project for several years. The property where the incident took place was sold to the state by the commercial farmer in question on the condition of a long-term lease agreement with an option for renewal after thirty years. A company was established between the commercial farmer and the employees as involved beneficiaries. However, Land Affairs has failed to issue the official lease agreement with the said company since 2013. Without an official rental agreement, or proof of ownership, access to financing was impossible. The Department of Land Affairs apparently failed to fulfill conditions in the initial purchase contract and as a result ownership of the property in question was re-established with the original owner earlier this year. Nevertheless, the Department of Land Affairs continued with the issuance of a so-called “caretaker agreement” to another party on the particular property. The commercial producer in question was last week forced by these heavily armed members of a security company, apparently on the instructions of the appointed “caretakers”, to leave the farm immediately. If valid reasons do exist for any eviction, there are prescribed procedures according to which an eviction order can be obtained. It is therefore totally unacceptable and illegal to remove any farm dweller with assault rifles from his or her residence.
Department of Land Affairs, with defective implementation of policy, clumsy administration and alleged irregularities by officials, has ruined a golden opportunity for a successful and sustainable partnership. Despite the state’s apparent commitment to orderly land reform at
national level, this incident confirms apparent lack of commitment by grassroots officials to orderly and sustainable land reform. This incident makes it difficult for Mpumalanga Agriculture to encourage our members to participate in land reform projects involving the state. Unfortunately, this incident and the clumsy way in which the Department fulfilled their responsibility contributes little to the establishment of a relationship of trust between commercial producers and the authorities. Before the Department switches to a much higher
level of effectiveness, there is no motivation to get involved in the Department’s efforts on land reform.
In the meantime, until such time as the Department can prove that they are really serious about land reform, Mpumalanga Agriculture’s members, with the appetite to participate in land reform, are encouraged to rather make use of the PALS initiative for purposes of agricultural development in our province.
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