Duduza – A fight over the ownership of Spaarwater Farm has left it standing as a white elephant of a land since December.
Farmers working under the Leruwo Agricultural Project have downed tools.
This is after a concerned group of farmers came forward, claiming that they were the rightful owners of the land and locked those who were working on site off the premises. The farm had chicken, pigs, cabbages and tomatoes, but now shows no sign of activity.
A story published by African Reporter on November 18, on page 3, titled ‘Farmers at war over ownership of land’ reported that the two groups, who were fighting over land, blocked access to the Duduza CCC offices.
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Community leader Tebogo Boiyane says they decided to abandon work in December.
“We are waiting for the metro to address us and give us a way forward.
“We cannot expect people to continue working on the farm when their lives and safety is continuously threatened.
“The chicken coups have been vandalised and broken into and the chickens were stolen.
“Our produces are dying because there is no one to take care of them,” he says.
Tebogo adds that they were hoping to fight poverty and unemployment in the community of Duduza through the project.
“We were planning to absorb over 100 unemployed residents, but now that the project has been disturbed by political interference that will only be a dream,” he adds.
Gibela and the metro gave the Leruwo Agricultural Project a go ahead to start farming in 2017.
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The farm was confirmed to be registered in the name of the South African government, according to the deeds office.
This was confirmed in a statement released by the metro in response to the allegations raised by one group claiming ownership of the land.
When asked for comment, Gibela disputed the claim that it owns the land.
“The farm itself belongs to the City of Ekurhuleni,” explains communications director Pamella Radebe of Gibela.
Gibela said its only involvement was the establishment of Leruwo Agricultural Project, based in the Spaarwater Farm, as a socio-economic development programme to uplift underprivileged South Africans.
Meanwhile, Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe explains that the property in question is situated on a portion of land that falls under the Lesedi local municipality’s area of jurisdiction in terms of the new demarcation.
“Only a small portion of the fence encroached of the remainder of portion one of the farm Spaarwater 171 IR, which is owned by the national government of the Republic of South Africa, and that portion falls in our area of jurisdiction.
“The farm is managed by the metro’s department of economic development.
“All the allegations between the two groups will be investigated,” he adds.
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