Farmers at war over metro land
“We have never heard of them until last week Friday when they ambushed us and broke the gate of the farm."
Duduza – Two groups of angry farmers from Spaarwater Farm blocked roads and protested outside the entrance of Duduza customer care centre (CCC) on Tuesday morning.
The two groups demanded answers from the metro, Gibela and Ward 87 councillor Simon Hlope as to who the rightful owners of the land they are occupying are.
Duduza residents working on the farm and who registered at the Leruwo Agricultural Project claim to have been given a go ahead to start farming by Gibela and the metro in 2017.
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Community leader Tebogo Boiyane says in February last year, they met with the MMC for Finance and Economic Development Cllr Doctor Xhakaza after the community picketed outside municipal offices in Germiston.
“He told us that in the past, they refused to release the Service Level Agreement of the farm to the people working in it because there were no beneficiaries or residents from Duduza.
“After assuring him that we were farmers from Duduza and were ready to start working, it was released to us and we were given a go ahead to start working.
“We started planting tomatoes and now cabbages,” he says.
Boiyane says they feel the group claiming to own the land sees the good work they are doing and wants to start a conflict.
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“We have never heard of them until last week Friday when they ambushed us and broke the gate of the farm.
“We are now confused. How are they the rightful owners of the land when the land belongs to the metro and Gibela?
Boiyane adds that currently, the farm has absorbed 25 unemployed people from Duduza.
In his comment, Hlope says a meeting between the two groups and the metro was unsuccessful because representatives from the metro did not arrive.
“We agreed that the meeting will reconvene as soon as metro officials agree to meet at a later date.
“As far as I know, the residents were given a go ahead to start working on the land by Gibela as part of their CSI project,” he adds.
In its comment, Gibela’s communications director Pamella Radebe explains: “Gibela established the Leruwo Agricultural Project at the Spaarwater Farm as a socio-economic development programme to uplift underprivileged South Africans.
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“This was specifically for those living in the areas adjacent to the company’s operations, through job creation and sustainable farming.
“The project became operational in August 2018, with the end goal being that at least 100 people will work at the farm, and be trained and mentored to become small holding farmers and support businesses.
“The farm itself belongs to the City of Ekurhuleni,” she says.
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