Road Forward for Jonkershoek - Follow up

The meeting to discuss and plot the way forward with regard to evictions and matters pertaining land tenure in Jonkershoek, took place in good spirit today. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Jonkershoek Crisis Committee, COSATU, Agri Western Cape, Stellenbosch Municipality, Stellenbosch Landbou Genootskap, Women on Farms, SAFCOL, DWAF, the Departments of Agriculture and Land Affairs.

Participants confirmed the issues as set out in the agreement that was signed on 16 June 2006, namely:

• A collective commitment to constructive engagement;
• An agreement that the ESTA is inadequate and needs to be reviewed;
• A moratorium on all evictions in this area, pending the conclusion of negotiations aimed at 3 -6 months;
• The setting up of Agri-villages;
• The centrality of para-statal and private land in the engagement of transformation;
• All levels of governance to be included in this process - i.e. Local/Municipal, Provincial and National government;
• An end to severing basic services to farm occupants;
• Conducting an audit to provide common platforms of information;
• Rooting out those bad apples violating human rights.

It was also agreed that the Stellenbosch Municipality would review and update the IDP, Spatial Development Plan and the Sectoral Plan, whilst a sub- committee consisting of representatives from Land Affairs, Agriculture, the Farmers, Women on Farms and the Jonkershoek Crisis Committee will start with the auditing process and report back to the next meeting on 24 July 2006.

Minister Dowry raised his concern at the lack of data on all evictions, not only in Jonkershoek, but in the whole of the Western Cape.

A further concern is the lack of understanding of the ESTA act by local authorities and he called on Municipalities to increase their capacity in order to deal with matters that arise from the consequences of the application of the act. Minister Dowry proposed that the Department of Land Affairs should arrange for workshops with all the local councils in conjunction with the Minister of Local Government.

The image of Agriculture is harmed by the negative publicity surrounding evictions and the minister cautioned all the parties concerned to act in a responsible way, as the growth of the economy is very dependant on the performance of the Agricultural sector in the Western Cape.

Enquiries:
Alie van Jaarsveld
Spokesperson
Ministry of Agriculture: Western Cape
Tel: 021 483 4930
Fax: 021 483 3890
Email: avjaarsv@pgwc.gov.za