Farm dwellers voice their daily challenges
Breaking down and sobbing in-between the session, several told of countless occasions when they had suffered abuse at the hands of farmers. Among many other challenges, the dwellers complained about farmers restricting them from keeping livestock.
For a number of farm dwellers in the province, remaining in the land of their forefathers regardless of their tough living conditions is crucial as they do not want to be separated from their ancestors.
Voicing their daily challenges last week during the Commission of Enquiry’s ninth public hearing in Belfast, it was evident that freedom was a far cry for some.
Breaking down and sobbing in-between the session, several told of countless occasions when they had suffered abuse at the hands of farmers. Among many other challenges, the dwellers complained about farmers restricting them from keeping livestock.
“They demand that we sell our livestock to them and when we refuse, they kill the animals, forcefully take them or reduce grazing land which eventually leads to their death,” cried Ms Linah Mahlangu.
She added that the farmers sometimes cut off electricity from their households. Several farm dwellers complained about water shortages, the mobile clinic only coming once a month and being violently man-handled by the farmers.
This commission has been recently appointed by Premier David Mabuza in a bid to look into the socio-economic conditions of farm dwellers.
The Commission was appointed in terms of the Constitution of 1996 with a specific mandate to investigate the living conditions of farm dwellers with special reference to the following but without limiting the scope of such investigation to access to services such as electricity, water and sanitation, quality education, health care, justice system, employment security, safety and security, security of tenure, adequate and sustainable housing, good working conditions, and the prevalence of unlawful evictions and their curtailment.
As of now, nine of the ten public hearings have been conducted in the three districts of the province.
From the hearings, reports of gross human rights violations where farm dwellers have died on duty have been extensively recorded during these sittings.
Asked if they would agree should the government give them an alternative land to stay, the farm dwellers echoed each other saying they would never want to leave their family members’ graves.
According to the chairperson of the commission, Mr Gert Louw will be concluded in May.
“As soon as we are done with the hearings, we’ll submit the report to the premier. We are extremely satisfied with the cooperation of the farm dwellers. We have accumulated a lot of information and we’ll be able to submit a proper report with proper recommendation to the premier,” added Louw.
