Meyer calls on National Government to stop the state capture of Colenso Farm

My recent visit to the farmer, Ivan Cloete, highlights the National Government’s mismanagement of land reform in South Africa.

Despite productively working the land for more than a year, Ivan Cloete now faces being evicted from a third farm previously allocated to him by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) – with the latest eviction taking place to make way for an MK veteran.

Mr Cloete is effectively being denied the security of tenure on Colenso, despite having been moved from previous farms twice through no fault of his own, but rather due to DALRRD’s failure to implement and manage land reform projects under its responsibly.

The planned eviction of Mr Cloete must be stopped given the prohibition of all evictions, save by order of a competent Court in terms of Regulation 37(1) of the Regulations issued in terms of the Disaster Management Act, 2002.

DALRRD continues to ride roughshod over Mr Cloete’s rights.  Despite having in October 2019 informing the Office of the Public Protector, it reached an agreement to relocate Mr Cloete to Colenso farm. DALRRD also indicated that it had entered into a long-term lease agreement with Mr Cloete. 

Therefore, I have written to the national Minister to act in terms of the Constitution and the rule of law to prevent Mr Ivan Cloete's unjust eviction on his farm in Darling. 

The National Minister must immediately stop the state capture of the farm Colenso or face the Zondo Commission.