THE Wartnabys have been forced off their farm in Cato Ridge by foreign nationals who they took after the nationwide xenophobic attacks in 2015.
Andrew Wartnaby, husband of Rae Wartnaby, was in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday, 6 June, asking the court to assist him to evict the refugees, who refuse to leave his farm.
“The eviction did not go well and has been postponed,” said Rae.
Rae said she heard that the refugees were arrested yesterday, 27 June. This was nothing to do with eviction matter – she said and they were waiting to find out the full story.
“I am still off the farm and my husband has also left the farm,” she said.
Background
The Cato Ridge family opened its 20-hectare farm to 143 foreign nationals, including children, who were displaced during the 2015 xenophobic attacks.
Andrew and Rae Wartnaby, both 47 at the time, decided to take the refugees in when they heard that the eThekwini Municipality was closing the single remaining camp for displaced foreigners in Chatsworth.
The group moved to the farm after the state dropped charges of trespassing against 85 parents, and the adults at the camp refused to take the UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ financial assistance to be reintegrated back into the communities or be resettled elsewhere.
The foreign nationals started to threaten the family late in 2015 and refused to leave.
Rae told the Highway Mail earlier this year that have been accused of child trafficking and slavery. They have been looking after foster children since they got married in 1990.
Last year, the refugees split themselves into two groups. The bigger group became militant and they refused to do anything on the farm, while the other group still cooperated.
