Farm Evictions: DA calls for re-establishment of Farmworkers Working Group 

16 October 2014

The DA strongly condemns all illegal evictions, especially on farms where workers are dependent on land tenure for their livelihoods.

The Democratic Alliance will write to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana, calling on him to re-establish the Farmworkers Working Group to continue its work to investigate the conditions of farmworkers around the country.

Although farmers are currently suffering from sectoral economic strain they must act with due regard for the rights of farmworkers when instituting any evictions.

According to Quarterly Labour Force Survey as released by Statistics South Africa in 2013, 73 000 jobs have been lost since the second quarter of 2013. That means that South Africa has lost almost 10% of all agricultural jobs in the past year. 

Minster Zokwana must expedite the process of implementing the National Development Plan (NDP) to create 1 million jobs within the sector by 2030 and turn this situation around. This will be achieved by bringing under-used land in the communal areas and land reform projects into commercial production and develop strategies to support new farmers in collaboration with markets. 

The DA has repeatedly called on Minister Zokwana to present before the Portfolio Committee his departments turn around strategy. 

Until then, it is imperative that the legal framework of the Extension of Security of Tenure Act, 1997 (ESTA) is complied with and that no evictions take place outside of the ESTA framework.

The DA will continue to fight for a growing agricultural sector that works and that creates jobs, while protecting the rights of farm-workers.

Statement issued by Annette Steyn MP, DA Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, October 16 2014

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