The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform, Ms Phumuzile Ngwenya-Mabila, has expressed concern over the issues brought to the fore at public hearings on the Extension of Security of Tenure Amendment Bill held in Free State and Mpumalanga recently.

Hundreds of farm workers attended the meetings and provided oral submissions to the Portfolio Committee on living conditions on farms. Workers said that their rights are being violated by farmers and called for the Bill to be enforced. Amongst the issues raised by workers are that their children are evicted by farmers when they turn 18, leaving them with nowhere to go. Also, access to family grave sites is restricted by farm owners after eviction. Some wanted the Bill to strengthen the right of farm workers to receive visitors.

Emerging black farmers expressed concern about farm workers who occupy houses on their farms, even though they work on other farms. They pointed out that the Bill did not consider the challenges of the emerging farmers in this regard.

Ms Ngwenya-Mabila said that the Committee will refer issues relating to conditions of employment to the Department of Labour and issues relating to access to land and tenure security to the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.

Public hearings on the Extension of Security of Tenure Amendment Act will continue in KwaZulu-Natal in Newcastle and Umgeni Municipalities on 14 and 15 September 2016 respectively.

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Porfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform