MBOMBELA – After months of public hearings the commission investigating the living conditions of farm dwellers concluded this week.
The commission of inquiry was launched by the Office of the Premier last August to investigate the socio-economic conditions of people living on farms.
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The premier, Mr David Mabuza, said in his State of the Province Address that their interim reports had revealed shocking circumstances related to security of tenure, burial rights, visitation rights, access to basic services and living conditions.
The commission comprises Adv Eunanda Eugenia Fourie, Adv Jacob Jakobus Gerhard Louw, Mr Michael Knowledge Soko, Mr Ernest Mmako, Mr Robert David Davel, Mr David Thabo Mokoena and Ms Nomvula Mavis Maya.
They have had public meetings all over the province and concluded their investigation with a final public hearing in the province’s capital on Tuesday.
Those affected could submit evidence orally or make written submissions to the commission.
One young man shared how 30 families had been put off the land where he had grown up around by a mining company and moved to a nearby township in 2011.
They could not take their cattle with them, and struck a verbal agreement with the mine that the latter would hire a shepherd to look after the 85 heads of animals left behind.
Within two years a farm was to be found for them to live with their livestock, but two years later no such a farm had been discovered, and the mine offered to buy the cattle.
When the community refused, the grazing land was reduced.
“We asked a health inspector for a report on the cause of the deaths and it was found that it was hunger,” explained the young man.
He said the mine offered to lease grazing land to them, and requested the commission’s assistance to find a solution.
The commission is set complete its final report by May and make recommendations to address the issues raised by investigations.
