BURGERSFORT, Limpopo — A severe land invasion in Limpopo has forced more than 40 emerging farmers to completely suspend their agricultural operations, sparking urgent demands for state intervention to protect their livelihoods and enforce a years-old court mandate.
The crisis is unfolding at the Tswelepelo Irrigation Scheme in Praktiseer, located just outside Burgersfort. According to the affected leaseholders, state-owned agricultural land officially allocated to them is being aggressively occupied by alleged illegal dwellers, rendering commercial farming impossible.
Decades of Farming Jeopardized by Sudden Invasions
The emerging farmers have deep roots in the area, having worked the land since 2001 under a standard five-year lease agreement. In a move to secure their agricultural future, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development extended their leases to 30 years in June 2023. Under the agreement, each individual farmer was allocated between 10 and 12 hectares of land to cultivate.
However, the farmers report that almost immediately following the 30-year lease extension, a flock of individuals began invading the property.
“We want the government to help us. We have a lease here and we are also paying the department of rural development for a year now,” said one farmer, who, like several others, requested anonymity due to a fear of victimization. “Every day we see a new shack erected on our farm. What is happening is breaking our hearts.”
Safety Concerns and Pleas for Alternative Land
The occupying farmers emphasize that agriculture is their sole means of survival. Beyond the loss of income, they report escalating safety risks, noting that attempts to reason with the new occupants are met with threats.
With the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development allegedly failing to provide actionable updates for the past year and a half, the farmers are issuing an ultimatum: if the illegal evictions cannot be carried out, the government must provide them with alternative land to farm.
“We voted for this government because we thought it would help us. Now they don’t care,” another anonymous farmer stated, expressing deep frustration over the lack of protection for their leased property.
Dwellers Claim Municipal Services Justify Occupation
The alleged illegal dwellers offer a starkly different perspective, claiming they have resided on the land since 2016 and 2017. According to the occupants, they moved onto the property voluntarily after noticing it was overgrown with bushes, unaware that it was an active commercial farm.
“No one came and told us this is their farm,” one dweller explained, adding that their presence has actually helped reduce criminal activities in the area.
Furthermore, the occupants argue that their settlement has been legitimized by local government services. They claim the Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality has been providing them with water and installing electricity. “If it was a farm or if we were not supposed to stay here, why would the municipality give us services? That doesn’t make sense,” a dweller questioned.
Government Standoff and Ignored 2018 Court Order
At the center of the dispute is a High Court eviction order issued in 2018, which legally mandates the removal of the illegal occupants. However, the order remains unexecuted due to a bureaucratic standoff between provincial and local authorities.
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development acknowledges the crisis but maintains that the legal burden of executing the eviction falls entirely on the local authority. A department representative stated that the responsibility for implementing the court order rests with the Fetakgomo-Tubatse Municipality. The department noted it is willing to provide assistance and is currently engaging the municipality through formal, inter-governmental channels to determine the necessary legal steps to enforce the eviction.
Conversely, the local municipality has pushed back against the department’s claims. Addressing the local authority’s stance, municipal spokesperson Dr. Seia confirmed the municipality’s denial of any involvement in the matter, deepening the deadlock and leaving the emerging farmers stranded in the middle of a jurisdictional dispute.