My week started on a rather sombre note on Sunday as I attended a community meeting on land restitution and community property associations (CPAs) at the Banquet Hall in Middelburg.
It was sombre because these were rural and farming communities which came to plead with the provincial government to come to their rescue in their plight suffered as a result of unprocessed land-restitution applications and dysfunctional CPAs.
The sad thing about these communities is that although many are illiterate, they have much to offer in terms of food production and security – a thing they have been denied by some unscrupulous officials who collude with farm owners to discredit some land claims.
Others are said to be benefiting financially in prolonging such applications by these poor communities who are the lifeline towards food security, not only in the province, but the country and internationally, too.
I must say, the saviour of the day was the MEC for agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs, Mr Andries Gamede who never minced his words when he paraded the officials in front of the community and came face to face with their tongue lashing.
After deliberating on the issues at hand, he was man enough to request, not order, the community to be patient with his department as he would personally monitor progress closely from now on.
It was a volatile situation in which he grappled with and managed their wrath in his popular humane manner.
He won them over when he publicly lashed out at the officials before apologising on their behalf.
He was able to request the very community to form a partnership with his department and correct all wrongs of the past and formalised a good way forward.
This week bodes to be a week for farming communities to better their lives as the premier’s office announced the institution of a commission of inquiry into the atrocities against farm dwellers and workers by farm owners.
This has been long overdue. For decades these communities have suffered hardship under their exploiters and haven’t enjoyed any democratic freedom in the country the past 21 years.
Let’s hope all the perpetrators will be brought to book and the dignity of the victims will be restored as humans and equals before the law.
I think the provincial government is starting to move in the right direction. It’s a winner for the farming community this week. Bravo to them!
