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By Liam Ngobeni 
2h ago
Pretoria – Farmer Johannes Tsotetsi, 66, pleads with the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform for help after he was evicted along with his livestock, including 500 cows.
Tsotetsi, from Heidelberg, received the farm in 2018, but has since been evicted without explanation and his cattle roam the side of the road.
At a picket on the matter at the department’s offices in Pretoria yesterday, the Tsotetsi family representative, Motlalepula Mofokeng, said they were being denied the chance to prosper as a black farming family with the necessary experience.
He said the whole process was marred by delays and promises, that it seemed like nothing had been set for them. He said they were placed on a different farm and when they asked questions they got no answer.
Last Tuesday, the owner of the farm evicted them. “Nobody came to see us or even to help us; the doors were closed and we were taken out into the street.
“We don’t have any plans, there is a farm that is available, but they didn’t choose to take us there; and they know that we qualify and have the necessary resources.
“Our animals are in danger and can cause accidents, we don’t get an answer about why they are kicking us out. It doesn’t make sense and it’s very frustrating. “
He said they were being denied the opportunity to grow as black farmers and that they were unable to empower others as they grew up. If allowed, they would go far, ”Mofokeng said.
“Why do we go through the process of being evaluated and finally qualified, only to be rejected?” he said, adding that they had a lot of livestock and enough experience to run a farm.
They were told that they would be given priority as soon as a farm became available, but that never happened.
“We are literally fighting on the road.”
While the department said it would look into details about Tsotetsi’s allotment of farmland and eviction, yesterday’s protest action saw them win EFF support.
The provincial party chairman in Gauteng, Itani Mukwevho, said they were going to help Tsotetsi because it was unfair to leave him with so much cattle and no place, while he qualified to live on a farm.
He said there were even documents to prove it. “How can you participate in a process to get a farm with the department and have one assigned to you in Heidelberg, and when you occupy it they tell you that it is no longer available? Now they evict him.
“The department must be aware that they will never change the appointment letter that was given to them. We are here to ensure that you can receive assistance on this matter.
“If they want to challenge us, they can take us to court, we will continue to defend this man, for more than five days his cattle are in danger and no one is doing anything,” Mukwevho said.
Reggie Ngcobo from the department said: “We confirmed that we had pickets outside our Tshwane office. We met with them and agreed to continue committing ourselves with the intention of finding a lasting solution to their concern ”.
Pretoria News
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