Families cry foul sale of Bracken Farm land
Families say farmer gave them the land more than 40 years ago.
eMBALENHLE – Two families, the Gumede’s and the Mnisi’s, have been left frustrated and distressed following ongoing development activities on land at Bracken Farm.
According to these two families, the piece of land in question belongs to them. The families claim they were granted rights to the land by a former farmer who left the area nearly 40 years ago.
However, recent developments have sparked conflict after a developer allegedly informed them that the land had been bought from the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
Nomadlozi Gumede, leader of the Gumede family, said the situation reflects years of neglect and injustice.
“We were born and raised here at Bracken Farm. Our parents worked on this farm, and when the owner left in 1986, he gave us a land rights document and all his livestock.
“He made it clear that no one could claim ownership without our consent,” said Gumede.
She alleged that the municipality has failed to provide even basic services, such as water, while allowing others to use the land.
“The municipality has never provided us with water, yet they are now selling our land without consulting us.
“We were shocked to see people building kraals and starting farming activities on our land, benefiting from it while we get nothing.”
According to Gumede, some of the new occupants claim they were authorised by the municipality to use the land for agricultural purposes.
“What is painful is that those people have access to water, while we, the supposed owners, do not.
“Their livestock roam freely in our yard, and we are suffering from environmental effects, including flies and waste.”
She also stated that the family lost livestock and farming resources following the establishment of eMbalenhle township.
Aron Mnisi, representing the Mnisi family, echoed similar frustrations, accusing the government of failing the very people it claims to support.
“The same government that speaks about land reform is taking land from us,” said Mnisi.
“When the farmer left, he gave my family the farmhouse and told us to protect it. Now that promise is being ignored.”
Mnisi expressed concern over the living conditions of his 80-year-old mother, Martha Mashiliane, whose home is reportedly in a state of disrepair.
“The municipality has never come to assess our living conditions, yet they are interested in selling our land. If this developer decides to evict us, where will we go?”
He added that the families rely on help from a local school for access to water.
“We survive because the management of Osizweni School checks on us and provides water. They understand that water is a basic human right, unlike the municipality.”
The families are now calling for urgent intervention to halt any developments on the land and to recognise their rights.
The spokesperson of the Govan Mbeki Municipality did not respond to the Ridge Times questions at the time of going to print.
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