A NUMBER OF LIVESTOCK FARMERS farming on land accessed through the land reform program have thrown their weight behind the expropriation of land without compensation, saying it will help many farmers access adequate land for commercial farming.

 

Angora goat, Dohne Merino farmer, Leon Barends, cattle farmer, chicory producer, Mzwandile Maldaki, cattle, goat, piggery, poultry farmer, Mbuyiselo Bholo, added their voices in the growing chorus supporting the review of section 25 of the Constitution to allow expropriation of land without compensation.

 

Maldaki, a former mine worker and a son of a former farm worker, said as 23 farmers they lease their 620 hectare farm from the department of Rural Development and Land Reform. “We support the expropriation of land without compensation because we cannot have more than 40 cattle per farm on this land. When our numbers increase above 25 we are told to reduce livestock numbers because of the size of the land,” said Maldaki.

 

Barends said due to the size of his 1500-hectare farm, he is forced to limit the carrying capacity of his farm to 650 goats and sheep.
“My future plan is to go bigger. This is a small piece of land. You can’t in the Karoo farm on 1500 hectares, you have to go to 4500 hectares. Then you can become commercial, get to the mainstream to own business and put value into your product. Out of this piece of land I must show the government that I can do it and ask them to move me to a bigger side and put a small scale farmer on this land,” said Barends, adding that he was denied his childhood dream of being a commercial farmer by apartheid laws.

 

Barends said land should be expropriated so that more farmers like him and others can access more land to expand their commercial farming. “For me it is a very good thing but we have to manage it properly. People who get farms must have passion for farming. The process to access land takes too long. I think the government must not make the same mistake of putting wrong people into the farms. The group thing is not working at all. Farms should be given to the right individuals for commercial purposes,” he said. He added that with more land, farmers could create more jobs for the unemployed individuals in their communities.

 

With many of his members farming in a township, Bholo said they are desperate for grazing and farming land for their animals.
“We don’t have land for farming. We still need land. There is too much land here and you hear that it is sold to people from other places. We would be very happy if we can benefit and get land through the expropriation of land without compensation. Access to land will make a huge impact in our farming and the quality of our livestock would improve,” said Bholo.