An illegal squatter camp on a farm just outside Trichardt and next to the N17 is growing. Squatters first set up structures in July 2024, and the farm owner, Roelof Swanepoel, fought the invasion.

He died of kidney failure last November, and his wife, Louise, is continuing the battle.

Jan du Plessis, the chairperson of AfriForum in Secunda, helped the family obtain legal advice from AfriForum’s legal department.
Swanepoel had also consulted a lawyer and secured an interdict against the squatters.

However, they continue to build and buy stands from the two or three men who started squatting on the farm grounds illegally.

The farm has been in Swanepoel’s family since 1971, and originally belonged to Roelof’s father. The family has lived there for 31 years.

According to Louise, they got a letter from Sasol, preventing them from building any structures on that part of the farm, as Sasol has mining rights.

Louise said Sasol is now working with the family to get the squatters removed.

In a statement to Ridge Times,  Sasol said it was not in the position to comment on this matter.

Donald Green, the spokesperson of the Govan Mbeki Municipality (GMM), said the GMM approached the Secunda Magistrate’s Court on October 18, 2024, to get an ex parte application to evict some of the illegal squatters.

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“This action was taken after engagements with the owner, who appeared reluctant at that time to evict the illegal squatters due to alleged intimidation,” said Green.

“The court granted the order in favour of the municipality, pending a return date. On the return date, the illegal squatters defended the matter, and it was postponed several times.”

According to Green, the squatters, through their lawyers, raised several points against the GMM’s action during a court sitting on April 2 last year.

The court then dismissed the GMM’s application on April 8 last year. Since then, it tried to engage with the owner until he died.

“Various options to approach the High Court are being explored. The municipality is concerned about the non-compliance of various by-laws on the property and hopes a solution will soon be found,” said Green.

NOTE: This story has been amended to accommodate Sasol’s comment.