Limpopo farmers attending the province’s land restitution forum were told by a Regional Land Claims Commission delegate that the forum, which was specifically set up to discuss restitution issues, was not the place to discuss them. They should rather take their problems to “the Public Protector, the minister, the chief land claims commissioner, the Constitutional Court” or even Farmer’s Weekly
impopo farmers feel the province’s regional land claims commissioner (RLCC) Mashile Mokono is now employing intimidation tactics against members of organised agriculture who speak to the media about the state of restitution and land reform in the province. ast week, an outraged Mokono apparently phoned farmers wanting to know why they are talking to the press. Two days after an article on restitution in Limpopo grinding to a halt appeared in Farmer’s Weekly, one of Mokono’s colleagues, Miyilani Nkatingi, attended a restitution forum meeting with organised agriculture, banks, a delegation from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and other officials from the Department of Land and Agriculture on behalf of Mokono. H ere Nkatingi allegedly refused to discuss points on the agenda that appeared under the heading “Matters requested by Agri for discussion” or “Matters requested by TAU for discussion”. According to Agri Limpopo’s president, Theo de Jager, Nkatingi refused to allow him an opportunity to speak. “Every time I tried to say something, he just started screaming, making it impossible for me to be heard,” said De Jager. TAU North’s president, Dries Joubert, reports that Nkatingi kept saying that the meeting is a waste of time and that he can see no value in attending the meeting. He said that the problems raised by the farmer unions should be discussed in a different forum. Joubert expressed his surprise as the restitution forum was formed to discuss problem areas with regard to the restitution and redistribution of land in Limpopo. N katingi said that farmers should take their problems elsewhere, “to the Public Protector, the minister, the chief land claims commissioner and the Constitutional Court!” He said the commission must carry out its mandate and that there is no need for the restitution forum, calling it a “talk shop” which doesn’t help the RLCC to carry out its mandate. “The is not available to discuss these issues. We are not available to continue with this forum,” he told delegates. katingi also told farmers to rather discuss their problems with Farmer’s Weekly and that the land claims commission is not afraid of Farmer’s Weekly. “We know it’s owned by white farmers and we don’t care what they report!” he reportedly screamed at delegates. ssues up for discussion by the two farmers’ unions included: Delays in the restitution process caused by the current valuation process. mplications of expropriations and a previous resolution by the Land Reform Forum. A ppointments at the Regional Claims Commission. Delays in final payment by attorneys appointed by the for the transfer of properties and subsequent implications for the restitution process. letter to dated 11 January 2008 with a long list of outstanding issues. U neven treatment of claims against white and coloured farmers’ properties. While Nkatingi made his refusal to discuss these points clear, none of the other points on the agenda were discussed either. Joubert said it was distributed ahead of time and the should have raised its concerns beforehand. – Jasper Raats
