Situation around land grab currently quiet

Currently the situation on the Spioenkop Road turn-off from the R538 between White River and KMIA is still calm after the road was closed recently and the public urged not to use it at all.

This was due to hostile protest action in the area. According to Jo Pelser, from AfriForum White River, who was on the scene most of the time, contingency plans remain in place to handle the situation.

The two protesters arrested appeared in the White River Magistrate’s Court on Monday and were each granted R750 bail.

“The situation can, of course, change later, but this morning all is quiet and there is no sign of trespassers on the ground,” he said.

Some trespassers apparently threatened to also torch the MTO offices near White River, but at the time of going to press a manager said they were not in immediate danger.

The situation was monitored by AfriForum neighbourhood watch members, security companies and other role players.

AfriForum withdrew from the scene on Friday afternoon after the Public Order Policing (POP) unit moved in to clean up the road and area, and the protesters calmed down. Earlier on Friday, Pelser reported that protesters were burning tyres on the road and throwing stones at vehicles.

More than 100 squatters recently occupied farmland in the area. An eviction order was obtained and handed to representatives of the trespassers by the Sheriff of the Court that morning, after which the violence erupted.

A SAPS vehicle arrived at the scene first, but had too few resources to properly defuse the situation. Reinforcements from the national POP unit were then summoned.

Plantations surrounding the farmland were also set alight. Lefpa and Working on Fire were trying to extinguish these fires with the help of helicopters.

Residents of the farm were evacuated and taken to safety by AfriForum.

On Sunday the Mbonsweni Road was also closed when smoke was noticed in the area, but no further protest action occurred.