Abandonment of farm a tripple failure

The abandonment of Moshupatsela Farm in Broederstroom can be seen as a triple failure.

Firstly, the farm was bought by the Mopani District Municipality for R2,9 million. This does not include any expenses incurred after the farm was bought. Not to mention the amount that will inevitably be needed to repair damaged and destroyed buildings and equipment to restore the farm to its former glory. Millions of rands have been squandered on what should have been a positive initiative of which only weeds and a few derelict buildings remain.

Secondly, 16 jobs were created, with hundreds more in the pipeline. It would have been a much-needed economic injection for the community and lessened the high unemployment rate. Instead, 81 families are now squatting on the farm, saying they have nowhere else to go. This aids not only to the rapid decay of the farm itself, but also to the community as a whole.

Thirdly, valuable farming land is now lost. A once productive and thriving farm sits in ruins. The amount of money and work it would take to make it productive once again may mean the farm will never produce again.

The question of why the municipality abandoned the farm three years ago remains unanswered. Was it a lack of funding, training or commitment? Who is to blame? More importantly, what can be done to ensure it does not happen again?