Land grabbing: White farmers still practice black spot policy

Land grabbing by white farmers in South Africa continues like in the old days of apartheid of South Africa; and we black people are losing land. Apartheid was defeated in a ballot paper but in reality we are still living in the state of apartheid. There are no more signs that say “whites only” but in reality we as indigenous black South Africans are forcefully removed from our homes, simply because we live in a white dominated area. Our homes are being bulldozed and our living uprooted simply because we live on a prime land in the middle of a small farming town, uMshwathi/New Hannover.

Our troubles started when our original employer, farm owner Mr. Bush, got ill and retired from farming some years ago. He eventually left the farm to go and stay with his children; we think he went overseas. He told us that we should continue staying on the land and use it, even though another land owner may be purchasing the land. But we were not going to be removed from the land, he said to us; so we continued to live on the land. We have been using the land for farming all these years. Our children go to school in the area. Some of our members work in town in other neighboring farms.

Since Mr. Bush left, several people have approached us with an intention of using the land. Some individuals would claim that they have purchased the land and we needed to evacuate our homes but when we asked them to produce proof of purchase they would then disappear. Others would claim that they have leased the land but when we asked them to show us proof of lease agreement they would also disappear. These chancers included our neighboring farmers such as Bruce Robertson and Rudolph (aka RK). We have been subjected to evictions, our homes burned down and even arrested by the police. We have persevered hoping that the department of Land Affairs would one day resolve our problem by just doing a simple thing – get us a title-deed. To date nothing has happened.

The most troublesome of the land-grabbers have been our own neighbouring white farmers who have always eyed our land. Farmers and businessman such as Bruce, Rudolph (aka RK), and others have always connived to forcefully remove us from the land so that they can just grab it for themselves. Once in a while they would come to our land accompanied by private security guards and police officers from the local New Hannover police station and threatened us with evictions. On 18 April 2012 Bruce and his friends did the same but this time they were more intentional and aggressive. The following day, 19 April, we were woken up by the noise of tractors and earth removers. They chopped down our farm tree forest and grazed our plants on the field. For the past two weeks they have been uprooting any tree standing on our land and dumped soil on our river, mudding our source of water. We have reported the matter to the new Hannover Police station numerous times but they have refused to help us. The police officers told us that we needed some document from the court before they could help us. We asked the police why do we need a document from the court when Bruce and Rudolph get assisted by the police without documents? They couldn't answer us.

We have reported the matter to the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) from the beginning of our troubles. At one time they organized a lawyer for us. In 2009 one of the so-called land owners, Mr. Slavovich, made an offer to the DRDLR of about R4,5 million, to buy the land on our behalf so that we could have a title-deed for it. The Department has not responded to that offer. Since the land grabbing started on 18 April 2012, we have been calling Mr. Sbaningi Mngadi of the DRDLR reporting this continued violation of our human rights. He has been responding with negative comments such as “Why are we complaining because the land is not ours?” Yesterday, 3 May 2012, we called him and reported to him that the invaders have now blocked our driveway, using uprooted trees. This is the only entrance to our land. We asked him to come to our land and see what he could do to help us but he refused and said “He would only show up if they start demolishing our houses”.

Our experience is the same as the experience of the black-spot forceful removals of the 1970s. South Africa is now a democratic state yet our human rights as indigenous people remain violated. The white farmers who were a privileged class during apartheid are still enjoying their privileges that are based on white supremacy status. Although the two white farmers are now using a black person, Hilton Allan, to evict us, we know they are the ones who are behind our troubles. Allan is just fronting. We are treated like aliens in our own homeland. The state has failed to protect our rights and restore our dignity. The constitution of our land has failed to protect our humanity. We do not have many options. For what happens next no one can blame us.

Enough is enough! Sekwanele!

For more information contact: Bongiwe Mabaso: 083 759 9354 / Mphanda Dambuza: 076 929 7186 / Nonhlanhla Mchunu: 082 341 4064 / Phindile Mchunu: 072 524 0203 / Sphiwe Sokhela: 079 410 61

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