The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Patricia De Lille, in order to request an update on whether her department intends on honoring its promise to Jerry Sefoloshe and his 32 partners of the Hereford Irrigation Scheme in Limpopo, who after 23 years and a succession of Ministers making empty promises, remain tenants of the land they have worked and developed tirelessly.
Currently, Mr. Sefoloshe and his partners have nothing more than squatting rights. In 2017, former Public Works Minister, Nkosinathi Nhleko, provided each farmer with a personal letter of intent to provide title deeds to their land. It was nothing more than a media frenzy and more empty promises.
While land reform is not necessarily the purview of the Department of Public Works, as the owner of the land on which the Hereford Irrigation Scheme is operating, it is expected that Minister De Lille make good on the promises of her predecessor and transfer the title deeds to the farmers.
Following a visit to the Hereford Irrigation Scheme, the DA found that these farmers live without drinking water and electricity in their homes because they have no rights to their land. This despite these farmers having studied overseas, having exported their produce to Europe and the Middle East and having won numerous awards.
It would appear that government wants Mr. Sefoloshe and his partners to remain lifelong tenants instead of land owners. If this is not the case, it is time that the ANC government stop hiding behind new legislation and act with immediacy.
Hereford Irrigation Scheme has succeeded against all odds. After visiting the Scheme last week and engaging with their members, the DA will be writing a full report on the appalling way in which the farmers have been treated and will be asking Minister De Lille to expedite the process of turning the tenant farmers into fully-fledged landowners as per the promises made in 2017.
The DA has become the champion of land rights in South Africa and we will continue to fight for the right of emerging farmers to own their land and to be supported in becoming successful farmers who contribute to the food security of this country. In the DA-governed Western Cape, 72% of land reform farms are successful. In the ANC-governed Limpopo, 74% of state-owned farms have failed.