By Odwa Bafana Mkentane
A farm workers’ rights advocate, Billy Classen, has raised concerns about the growing number of long-term farm worker families facing eviction as agricultural land is converted into lifestyle estates and residential developments.
He said many families have lived and worked on farms for generations, only to be displaced when farms are sold to developers. His comments come after fourteen farmworker families living on Plaisir Estate near Paarl say they fear eviction after receiving notices to vacate their homes earlier this year. Although the deadline has passed, none of the families have moved.
Organisations such as Women on Farms and the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform have arranged legal assistance for affected families should eviction proceedings be taken to court. The situation is to ensure workers’ rights are protected. Some farmers claim they are ending farming operations, only to later sell the land for residential developments, leaving workers vulnerable; local and provincial governments, particularly planning authorities, must ensure developments include measures to protect farm workers, such as relocation assistance, compensation, or employment opportunities within the new estates,“ said Classen.
Photo: Pixels
