Letter: Glendale farm no more

Zane Debba of Phoenix writes:

In response Ann Johnstone’s letter last week titled ‘What a waste‘.

My grandparents the legendary Ramrajs of Glendale, just past Stanger, had successful sugar cane plantations in Glendale.

They and other Indian families provided jobs for many African workers for many years, but after 1994 everything beautiful and successful and everything that contributed to employment and contributing to the people, came to an ugly end.

My grandfather gave the land for the school Parukabad Primary to be built and others of all religions put money to build the school.

Even the great Ramraj house nearby the school now looks all dilapidated, with almost everything stolen. At one stage there were actually goats kept inside this once great house.

Land claiminates, entitlement, with or without compensation etc… only worsened the place.

When we drive from Durban to Glendale, we really look forward to the trip, but leave with a sad heavy heart at how bad the place has gone.

This once successful business place now looks like an abandoned movie studio rife with heavy criminal activities.

Yes, Ann Johnstone is 100% correct, fortunately, the happy and beautiful and once working and bustling with businesses memories of the place of our upbringing and holidays can NEVER be removed.

ANC and EFF, you may take the land away from us but you will will never be able to work it the way our families worked it. It will from experience of other African countries become a sure wreck and to loot from like Estina dairy farm.