Farmers accuse government of abusing land claimants

The department of agriculture, land reform and rural development stands accused of undermining land claim beneficiaries by leasing out farms without their consent.

Farmers’ groups allege rightful owners are being sidelined, evicted and stripped of livelihoods in favour of outside investors.

Farmers allege rightful owners stripped of livelihoods

Piet Mothepu, African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (Afasa) land reform committee head, said yesterday government was abusing farm owners by advertising their farms to attract investors and later evicting them.

“This has been happening for a long time,” said Mothepu.

“We are talking about the owners who claimed their land and are using it to create jobs and make a living.”

Affected provinces included the Free State and Eastern Cape.

He also said Afasa was in the process of interdicting the government from advertising farms belonging to its members.

Urgent interdict to stop department reallocating farms in FS and EC

Currently, the Afasa Free State and Eastern Cape land reform committees intend approaching the courts on an urgent basis to seek an interdict preventing the department from advertising, reallocating or otherwise disposing of farms allocated to, occupied by or legitimately claimed by Afasa members without proper consultation and due process, he said.

“Afasa contends the department’s actions prejudice the rights and interests of affected farmers and undermine the fundamental land reform principles of fairness, transparency, accountability and lawful administrative action,” said Mothepu.

He said the court application would seek appropriate relief to protect affected farmers while the disputes were properly considered and resolved through lawful processes.

“Farmers can no longer be expected to operate in fear while their cases remain unresolved and the farms on which their livelihoods depend are allegedly targeted, advertised or reallocated without adequate consultation,” he said.

“Afasa calls upon the department to immediately suspend all disputed advertisements and administrative processes involving affected farms until the matters have been properly reviewed and the affected farmers have been afforded a fair opportunity to be heard.”

Govt refusing to meet association

He also accused government of refusing to meet the association to find a solution to the matter.

The Citizen has seen a letter dated October 2024, where the department was recalling an advertisement of a farm in the Free State after having had a meeting with Afasa’s representatives.

“As per our discussion in Rustenburg, we receive the update on your letter dated the 16 October, 2024,” the letter read.

“After a meeting with Afasa’s representatives in which we discussed the matter of the farm Doorndraai no 207, remaining extent of the farm Al-Te-Klein no 579 and portion 3 of the Farm Roodekrans no 591. Consequently, the advertisement was withdrawn and the process of reallocation has commenced.”

In a recent advertisement, the department invited new investors to take over the ownership of Farm Zandfontein no 382; portion 2 of the farm Zandfontein, while there was a family owning the farm and using it for commercial purposes.

Lebeko claims officials threatening to take farm

“In terms of the department’s beneficiary selection, land allocation policy, state land lease and disposal policy, eligible applicants are invited to submit applications to lease the agricultural property,” the advert said.

One of the affected farmers, Mary Lebeko from Odendaalrus, claimed officials from the department were threatening her and “want to take my farm and lease it out”.

A farmer, who asked not to be named, has accused government officials of sabotaging them to create a platform for leasing out their farms.

“They don’t support us simply because they want us to fail so that they can take away our farms,” claimed the farmer.

Department spokesperson Linda Page had not responded to questions at the time of publication.