Squatters move in on farmers
One farmer says people are using his farm as a shortcut and has twice had his fence cut by trespassers.
A NUMBER of farmers are facing the problem of squatters building illegal structures on their farms.
Fred Lauterbach, who owns a farm in Gamalakhe, has laid trespassing charges against squatters residing on his property.
Accompanied by AfriForum, a civil rights organisation and Gamalakhe SAPS, he yesterday (Wednesday) handed over an eviction letter to the ‘owners’.
He has given them three days to vacate his property. “I have no idea how long this house has been on my property. The strange thing is that there is a water meter and electricity pole serving my illegal ‘tenant’,” said Mr Lauterbach.
After handing over the eviction letter Mr Lauterbach opened a case of trespassing on private property at the Gamalakhe police station.
Fred Lauterbach is not the only farmer faced with difficulty when it comes to removing illegal squatters.
Len Pienaar, who owns a farm close to Mr Lauterbach’s, is in a similar predicament. He has been fighting a losing battle for years. “I have had people illegally living on my property for the past eight years,” he said.
It is not only the people staying on the farm that pose a problem for Mr Pienaar. He also has people using his farm as a shortcut and has twice had his fence cut by trespassers.
Last year Mr Pienaar handed a letter to all the illegal squatters living on his property. They still haven’t moved out.
“I am afraid to approach them as I have been threatened a few times. The people occupying this land have opened a gateway for thieves to enter my property,” said a concerned Mr Pienaar. “I no longer feel safe on my own property.”
The squatters have also made it clear they are not going anywhere. They say they were placed there by a local induna.
When the Herald visited these farms they were able to ask the occupants if they were aware that they were residing on someone else’s private property.
The residents said they were placed there by the chief induna and were told that they should not move until a surveyor came to confirm that the land they were residing on was in fact private property.
AfriForum’s Chris Fourie said the organisation is committed to helping South Coast farmers facing similar cases. “We will also investigate as to how the water meter and electricity was installed without the property owner’s permission,” he said.
