POLOKWANE – The Land Claims Commissioner of the Limpopo Province, Mr Mashile Mokono is charged with unprofessional and aggressive conduct in a media statement released here this week.

The MEC for Agriculture and Land Development was requested to call the commissioner to order, after conduct described as outrageous and totally unacceptable.

The commissioner was accused of aggressive and unprofessional conduct during a meeting at Lephalale (Ellisras) on Tuesday last week.

The meeting was scheduled to inform landowners of the various land claims and the research conducted by the office of the commissioner. Those present were informed that landowners must conduct their research and reply within four weeks. At this announcement, landowners complained that the Commissioner had had time from 1998 to conduct his research and it was therefore unacceptable and unreasonable to expect landowners to reply in such a short time. A representative of the land owners, who objected on behalf of his clients, was met with an immediate dismissal from the meeting.

The Chairperson of the TLU-SA, Northern Region, Mr Dries Joubert, said in a media statement that he learned with shock and disbelief of the unprofessional and aggressive conduct of the Land Claims Commissioner.

In a letter to the MEC, the TAU-SA Northern Region requested an immediate investigation into the unacceptable conduct of the commissioner.

Mr Joubert said he expects public servants to adhere to the Batho Pele principles and to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the provisions of the constitution.

Mr Joubert said the fact that only two of the landowners in question received invitations to the meeting, is clearly not acceptable. He warned that the conduct of the commissioner can easily lead to further anger and frustration. The MEC was requested to intervene and to call the commissioner to order.

Mr Joubert said the current commissioner in Limpopo should take the blame for much of the chaos in the land redistribution process in the province, especially in the light of excellent progress made in other provinces such as Gauteng.

He said the TAU-SA Northern Region is not against the process, but will not allow chaotic and lawless conduct by government representatives.