THOHOYANDOU – Nobody was arrested during the illegal farm invasion at Mambedi River Estate, and no police docket was opened, because no formal charges were laid against the invaders, say the police.

A spokesperson for the Area Communications Office of the SAPS in Thohoyandou, Capt Mashudu Malelo, said upon enquiry this week that the farm management at Mambedi only requested police assistance to remove the illegal occupants from the farm. Management did not lay any charges, therefore no docket was opened by the police and nobody was arrested.

The illegal farm invasion and attempted illegal occupation took place on Wednesday, April 27, on the Mambedi River Estate owned by SAPECO. Several people moved onto the farm and started to stake out plots, ready for occupation. In all, 48 plots were staked out by the invaders.

After the incident had been reported to the police by the farm management, representatives of the invading group were instructed by the police to remove all the boundary stakes which they had planted. They were given time to the end of Friday to do so. The stakes were then removed by the offenders.

Immediately afterwards, the management of Mambedi received several threatening anonymous telephone calls. On Monday, a herd of cattle was driven onto the farm. All these incidents were also reported to the police.

When the Office of the MEC for Agriculture and Land Development was contacted last week for comment on the incident, a spokesperson expressed surprise at the fact that nobody was arrested in connection with the illegal invasion of the farm. The spokesperson reiterated the MEC’s recent statement during a meeting at the Soutpansberg show grounds that no such invasion would be tolerated, as it constitutes a criminal act. She said that perpetrators will fa-ce the full force of the law. This obviously did not happen.

When the SAPS was requested to comment on the fact that nobody had been arrested in this blatant case of illegal farm invasion, the spokesperson said that the farm management can still press charges if they want to. If they bring specific charges, a police docket will be opened and the culprits will then be arrested.

The MEC for Agriculture and Land Development is at present out of the country and was not available for further comment on the statement by the police.