PRESS STATEMENT
NO EMBARGO
17 December 2024
Al Jama-ah’s President makes a desperate call to President Ramaphosa to impose a moratorium on farm evictions:
Al Jama-ah’s President Ganief Hendricks, Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Social Development has made a desperate call to President Cyril Ramaphosa to impose a moratorium on farm evictions and forced removals in Paarl, Wellington and surrounding areas in Drakenstein Municipality, Cape Winelands District in the Western Cape.
Hendricks, who was recently appointed by President Ramaphosa as District Champion of Johannesburg Metro’s District Development Model (DDM), made the urgent call in a letter sent to the President last week. The Presidency responded that they are seriously looking into Hendricks’ desperate call for a moratorium.
The call for a moratorium on evictions followed Hendricks oversight visits to farms in Paarl and a Community Dialogue programme hosted by the Department of Social Development with the farm communities (farm workers, dwellers and seasonal workers) on 11 December 2024.
This follows Tuesday’s (10 December 2024) oversight visits Hendricks was accompanied by representatives from Women on Farms Project, local media and South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) (Western Cape).
According to reports, there are 1 500 court applications for farm evictions from the Paarl/Wellington areas which will most likely affect 20 000 people living on farms in Drakenstein.
“Lifestyle farming in the Drakenstein Municipality and neighbouring regions is the greatest threat to freedom of movement, rights to security and rights of women and children. The farm communities have over the years become victims of forced removals, reminiscent to the brutal apartheid removals under the Group Areas Act. Al Jama-ah will continue to assist people who are being dispossessed from their land,” says Hendricks.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa must issue a decree for a moratorium on the evictions of farm dwellers and to engage with the ‘Lifestyle farmers’ who are making the lives of farm dwellers miserable in a bid to force them to leave the farm. I am concerned that court orders granting farm dwellers access to their homes, water, and electricity are being ignored,” he exclaimed.
Hendricks will arrange a briefing for Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Ms Tandi Mahambehlala who has been appointed by President Ramaphosa as District Champion for the Cape Winelands’ District Development Model (DDM).
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