South African Farms >-- The Mail&Guardian, July 19 2000. > >More than 4 000 agricultural jobs have been lost in KwaZulu-Natal > following recent farm invasions in the province. > > KwaZulu-Natal has been hit by a wave of farm invasions in which >thousands of > squatters have stormed farms, stripping millions from the value of >the province's > agricultural output. > > The invasions have destroyed at least 4 000 agricultural jobs in >the Mangete area > near Stanger on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, where most of the >63 farms in > the area have been invaded. > > Across the province, farmland lies idle or is being used for >squatter > accommodation, with at least 200 farms affected. Up to 5 000 >squatters have > invaded farmland on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast and throughout >the > province more than 30 000 squatters could be resident on >agricultural land. > > The invaders - mostly subsistence farmers - have all but halted >commercial > agriculture in the area by taking over prime commercial land. >Farmers have left the > land in droves. > > The KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union was unable to confirm how >much revenue > is being lost, but farmers put the figures at "millions". > > Farm attacks in KwaZulu-Natal also appear to be on the increase. >Farmers in > the Empangeni area - all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity - >claimed the > invasions and attacks were largely the fault of the provincial and >national > departments of agriculture and land affairs. > > Land reform has been conducted at a slow pace, with less than 5% >of land claims > settled countrywide since 1994. KwaZulu-Natal farmers claim the >invaders are > mostly people who are fed up with empty promises of land. Another >group of > invaders are those who occupy land illegally without knowing they >are breaking > the law. > > Meanwhile, farmers claim members of the aMakhosi have been >illegally selling > land to squatters. Farmers claim that recently deceased iNkosi >Mvongwane Chilli > was the worst culprit by far and made a fortune large enough to >buy several > BMWs by selling land that was not even his to sell. > > Chilli stopped his illegal land deals only after the local >farmers' association took > out a high court interdict to stop him. > > While KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture Narend Singh denies the >farm > invasions are in any way similar to those in Zimbabwe, local >farmers dispute this. > Pat Dunn, the chair of the Mangete Land Owners and Community >Development > Services, claimed the invasions could be compared to those >experienced in > Zimbabwe as all the elements of intimidation and violence were >present. > >- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
