Land invasion – Know your rights as a legal landowner
"In the case where occupants know they are illegally occupying land, the structures may be broken down if a trespassing case has been opened with the police. The police should act according to the Trespass Act at all times,” said Cameron.
AfriForum’s Head of Safety, Ian Cameron, was in attendance at a recent AfriForum meeting in Vryheid, where a committee was elected for AfriForum’s Vryheid branch.
Cameron discussed a matter of grave concern, especially within a farming community such as Vryheid – farm attacks and unlawful land occupation. The matter seems set to escalate, judging by consistently long queues outside of the office of Rural Development and Land Reform in High Street recently, as well as the apparent ease with which one can allegedly claim land from legal land owners. Legal land owners must allegedly pay exorbitant legal fees to defend their right to own land, while potential squatters can purportedly claim land with ease and at no cost to themselves.
AfriForum recently launched a guide on land grabs which was made available to those who attended the meeting, and emphasized that communities should protect their property themselves and not wait on the state to do so or offer any assistance in this regard.
“This statement is further strengthened by changing acts regarding land reform, but also by the South African government itself, which is taking on Zimbabwe’s style towards land reform more and more.” (www.afriforum.co.za)
“We as land owners have rights.’ said Cameron. “We can protect our property by acting in the correct way when land occupation takes place, but especially by acting proactively to prevent occupation. When structures are erected and occupants have enjoyed an undisturbed stay, a civil case must be driven by the court. In the case where occupants know they are illegally occupying land, the structures may be broken down if a trespassing case has been opened with the police. The police should act according to the Trespass Act at all times.”
“By implikasie beteken dit dat indien ʼn okkupeerder nie onverstoorde verblyf geniet het nie moet die polisie itv die betredingswet optree en kan die grondeienaar die strukture afbreek en oor die eiendom beskik itv wetgewing. AfriForum stel voor dat die eiendom aan die polisie of aan die plaaslike munisipaliteit per inventaris oorhandig word.
Onverstoorde verblyf is nie spesifiek tydsgebonde nie. Om te verhoed dat okkupeerders onverstoorde verblyfreg geniet moet ʼn grondeienaar onmiddelik optree wanneer hy/sy bewus word van die plakkers.”
Die blitsgids oor grondbesetting vir grondeienaars beklemtoon verskeie maatreëls wat geneem kan word om die onaangename prosedure te vermy om onwettige plakkers van jou wettige eiendom te verwyder.
Although the state can be held accountable through legal action, Cameron reiterated that communities must defend their properties with local safety initiatives such as neighbourhood watches and farm watch systems. .
“Prevention is better than healing,” said Willie Spies, legal representative for AfriForum.
Ian Cameron, hoof van veiligheid by AfriForum, gesels op Insig oor die nuutste plaasmoordstatistiek:
Word deel van die AfriForum Vryheid-tak deur “Vryheid” na 45267 te SMS teen R1.
