Farm dwellers experience injustice from refusal of services by owner
GROBLERSDAL – The issue of abuse of rights of farm dwellers continues to rear its ugly head at farms neighbouring the two towns of Marble Hall and Groblersdal within the Ephraim Mogale and Elias Motsoaledi local municipalities respectively.
The Bolsheviks Party of South Africa, an opposition party in both local municipalities’ councils, has raised concerns following alleged injustices meted out against dwellers at farm 165JS along the R33 Road outside Groblersdal by the current owner.
The Bafedi and Makua families from Ga-Makua Village in the local municipality’s ward 12 have been living on the farm along with seven other families for over 60 years. They were born at the farm and they currently still occupy the portion at Velvrede Farm.
Now the families living at the farm are concerned about the treatment of the current farmer there as they complained that they were being treated badly as compared to the previous relationship they had with the former farmer.
They claim there is no service delivery at the farm because all attempts by the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality to have the farm serviced are thwarted by the current owner.
Seun Mogotji, BPSA leader, said: “The families that are residing in the area had a good relationship with the previous farmer. That is a different story now with the current farmer. The lives of the residence are a living hell since they cannot get any services from the local municipality due to the current conditions introduced by the farmer there. There is no justice for all the households that are there.”
Mogotji said his party has lodged a complaint with the department concerned to intervene in the dwellers’ debacle with the farmer who refuses for services to be brought there for the improved lives of the people.
“The BPSA requests urgent intervention from the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to engage the farmer in the interests of the people who are currently living under harsh conditions without services rendered,” concluded Mogotji.
The farm dwellers hoped the matter will be attended to speedily so that they too like other South African can enjoy government services as prescribed the country’s Constitution.
