Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
The Gauteng Province is experiencing an upsurge in the evictions of farm workers in what we believe may be a deliberate ploy to destabilise rural areas prior to the community elections.
In many instances, the evictions are taking place illegally. In other cases, farmers are complying with but are acting immorally - they are given a "trekpas" to people who have lived and worked on their properties for decades.
A number of cases have been brought to our attention in the past week, and are documented in the attached information dossier, but to give just two examples:
These are callous and cruel acts, and we condemn them in the strongest terms. The government will come down hard on anyone who abuses the rights of their workers in this way.
But we are thankful to report that not all farmers are bad apples. Already, some have recognised the humble needs of rural people. An example of this is Mr Ivor Karan, who has donated 135 hectares for low-cost housing development in th alleviate the problem of land shortage. We congratulate him for this and urge other members of the farming community to follow his good example.
At provincial level a process has started involving our department of Housing and Devlopment planning, members of the Provincial Legislature, the Service Councils, and community leaders to ensure that all take mutual responsibility for finding solutions to the problems that exist in rural parts of our province.
In the last week alone a forum has been established in the particularly conflict beset area of Vlakplaas in the Western Services Council as the outcome of a meeting involving the Minister Mofokeng, Minister Shiceka, members of the provincial legislature and more than 200 property owners in the area together with community leaders. This forum will ensure that processes are put in place to identify opportunities for development of the area and, of vital importance, to ensure that we do not have a continuation of the inhumane dismissal and evictions which have exacerbated tensions in that area.
In Bapsfontein in the Eastern Services Council work done by consultants has been adopted by a representative forum which once the necessary administrative procedures have been followed will allow a first phase of development to take place at an already identified site.
We urge all parties in the rural parts of our province to use precedents to put an end to the senseless conflict surrounding dismissals and evictions in rural areas. In the meantime, we have to appeal to their consciences when it comes to dealing with issues of land tenure and meeting basic needs. Farm workers are people, not pieces of machinery to be disposed of when they have served their purpose. They are entitled to the same security of tenure as all other South Africans - and if farmers don't realise this, we will have to make them aware of it.
Issued By: Chris Vick Director: Communication Department Gauteng Provincial Government Private Bag X61 Marshalltown 2107
(011) 240-1730 082-554-8190 457-1111 code: 7320