MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) – Organized farmers in the Albasini Dam vicinity took a firm stand this week against ad hoc unorganised and unlawful farm inspections.

Unacceptable actions by agents of the Regional Land Claims Commission (RLCC) Limpopo and a group of claimants reverberated at the highest level this week, after the Polokwane office of the Regional Lands Claims Commission Limpopo reacted with an aggres-sive and threatening letter to farmers’ objections against its intention to embark on in loco inspections on various farms, in contravention of the procedures prescribed by the appropriate Act.

The Albasini Concerned Group insisted that all claims should first be investigated fully and processed in accordance with the provisions of the Act and that all affected farmers must be contacted and duly informed, as prescribed by the Act.

“It is unreasonable to expect a landowner to allow anybody on his farm without having been duly given notice.”

A letter on the letterhead of the provincial office and under the name of the Regional Land Claims Commissioner, Mr Mashile Mokono, told farmers “that they have got no right to dictate the terms and conditions of the investigations envisaged on their farms.” It continues to threaten that “there shall be police escort ... in order to avoid obstruction of our officials ...”

The Albasini Concerned Group reacted by calling the Commissioner’s attention to the appropriate provisions of the Act and said that, if the Commissioner wants to involve the police, they would suggest that he apply for a Court order first and give notice of such an application.

Against allegations of an unnecessary delay, the group insisted that the committee needs 21 days in order to reach all landowners and to gather all their contact details and written authorization for the committee to communicate with them.

“There is a clear lack of communication between the Commission and landowners. Our committee hopes to assist in future communications. We do, however, request 21 days to try and contact all landowners. Seeing that claims were to be lodged prior to 1998 and it took six years to reach the current status, we feel that a period of 21 days is not unreasonable at all.”

The group also emphasised that they can find no provision in the Act that gives authority to any claimant to inspect land prior to a claim which has not been accepted by the Commission with regards to the requirements of a claim as a valid prima facie claim.

“Thus, no claimants will be allowed either until we have met each other in reasonableness.”

Even after the Commissioner had been persuaded telephonically to call off his unlawful inspections, unruly elements amongst the claimants, who were accompanied by RLCC agents, refused to honour the agreement. They openly threatened that they would enter the concerned farms, regardless of the agreement reached with the Commissioner. When the entrance to a farm, which was threatened in this way, was physically blocked by members of the Agricultural Unions Support Group, the claimants threatened to return with “bus loads of people” to “run them over”.

The RLCC Limpopo’s attitude and the actions of the claimants were officially brought to the attention of the South African Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs and the Provincial Premier’s Office.

Units of the Agricultural Union’s Support Group self-defence organisation were on standby when unruly claimants, accompanied by agents of the Land Claims Commission, insisted on entering farms in an unorganized way in contravention of the provisions of the Restitution of Land Rights Act.

The Albasini Concerned Group, protecting the interests of some 122 land owners in the concerned area, emphasised that the people and landowners do not hinder or obstruct the Land Commission in the performance of its functions. They merely insist that owners be treated fairly and that the whole process of land claims be conducted within the parameters and ambit of the appropriate Act.

They cautioned agents and claimants to respect the provisions of the Act.

In an interview, the management of the Concerned Group said they do not prescribe to their members. They merely act as an organised mouthpiece to communicate the wishes of all individual members and to assist them in ensuring that the whole process is conducted in an orderly and reasonable manner.

All landowners and farmers, in other parts of the country as well, were cautioned about the importance of an organized mouthpiece in all negotiations.

“We want to give our support everywhere to an orderly process, conducted in accordance with the prescribed rules.”

The management advised all landowners who are confronted with any difficult or intimidating situation with regards to land claims, not to act before they have contacted the committee or their attorney.

In the meantime, the South African Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, Thoko Didizsa, who attended an agricultural summit in Polokwane this week, said the land restitution programme provided a means for reconciliation but had to be handled in a sustainable manner. The challenge was to make sure that agricultural growth continued within the context of land reform. She called on current land owners not to regard present developments as the end of the road, but rather to explore the possibilities of partnerships with the claimants.

In his welcoming speech, the provincial premier, Sello Moloto, assured the farming community that government was doing everything possible to speed up the land claims process and promised to give ongoing attention to the security of farmers and their workers. He strongly condemned elements who perpetrate farm attacks. He said the agricultural and land reform policy aims to redress the injustices of the past, to foster national reconciliation and stability and to engender economic development and alleviate poverty.

“If these principles were understood by everybody, there would not be any confusion about the land reform programme,” the premier said.