EFF march to demand prioritisation of black farmers

Marble Hall

Hundreds of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members and supporters have on Thursday 14 March, marched to deliver memorandums of demands at Royal Dawn Farm in Marble Hall Town, Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality (EPMLM).

The marchers converged at the old Transnet Station in Marble Hall before going to deliver five memorandums of demands to various government and private institutions such as EPMLM, Department of Labour, Department of Agriculture, Competition Commission and Royal Dawn Farm.

They were demanding transformation of commercial farming sector in the Loskop Valley at Marble Hall and Groblersdal farms to benefit black farmers, empowerment of black commercial farmers in the Loskop Valley, forensic investigation instituted into incomplete projects such as the Leeuwfontein Stadium and Mamphogo Sports Complex.

They were also demanding the immediate budget allocation by SANRAL for the R573 Road Project that will be connecting Marble Hall and Siyabuswa, latest land audit report for all the farms in Marble Hall, provision of permanent housing solution for the community of Koteng with appropriate water, sanitation and hygiene and the scraping of exorbitant water bills and revised indigent register be implemented.

The party also demanded reinstatement of sales and purchase agreement between Royal Dawn Farm and Marble Hall business opportunities, compensation in relation to the 2024 crop, compensation to all farm workers injured on duty.

Ali Maloba, EFF Chairperson in Sekhukhune Region, said they were marching to raise their concerns because blacks are being excluded from owning farms and only whites are given first priority to run farming businesses.

“The land is owned by government through the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), however, only white farmers are allocated the space for farming. We are concerned because interested black farmers who have the capacity are being side-lined,” he said.

According to Maloba, the party demands thorough investigations in the allocation of land in Marble Hall and Groblersdal as they believe that there are certain farmers who captured PIC authorities for kick-backs.

“We are aware of the corruption in the PIC and we want to end it now. We want equal opportunities regardless of the skin colour. Black farmers should also get starting capital to establish farming businesses exactly just like the government supports white farmers. The EFF will not stop fighting until the matter comes to rest,” he said.

Maloba said the party is expecting all affected government and private sectors to respond to the memorandums within 14 working days.

“We will take other extreme measures if the affected institutions fail to respond within the expected period,” he said.