Farmer unions have welcomed the issuing of a list of farmers that minister of land affairs Lulama Xingwana alleges are guilty of unlawfully evicting farmworkers. Last year Xingwana and her deputy, Dirk du Toit, threatened to expropriate the land of such farmers.
In response to a parliamentary question Xingwana provided a written list of 60 reported evictions on the department’s provincial databases. It includes farmers allegedly selling farmworkers’ livestock and sabotaging water supplies, and examples of where due process wasn’t followed when workers were dismissed.
Agri SA’s legal head Annelize Crosby said they will refer specific incidents to affiliates for further investigation. “But few incidents listed qualify as real illegal evictions,” she added. “There are cases where people have been asked to vacate properties, which is only the first legal step in the eviction process, yet complaints have been lodged with the department. There are also disputes over livestock, electricity and water, which also don’t amount to evictions.”
TAU SA’s safety and security manager Chris van Zyl said the list is the minister’s first real effort to substantiate her allegations. – Cornelia du Plooy
Issue date: 25 January 2008
