Canaan Mdletshe

Canaan Mdletshe

Farm dwellers near Utrecht in KwaZulu-Natal warned they would highlight their anger at ill-treatment by farmers when Land Affairs Minister Lulu Xingwana and her provincial counterpart visit Paul Pietersburg tomorrow.

A march was organised by the Landless People's Movement (LPM) in Utrecht yesterday after 17 livestock were allegedly killed by dogs belonging to a local farmer.

LPM's Mduduzi Ndlanzi said: "Despite provisions in the constitution and other legislation, landless people are still denied their rights.

"Our livestock, a source of our survival, are killed and eaten," he said.

They want the dogs put down and are also demanding compensation for the cattle and goats killed.

"We want Xingwana to respond to our demands within seven days. We will use Saturday to express our dissatisfaction at the slow pace of land reform," he said.

Farm dweller rights movement Afra's Thabo Manyathi said: "If there's no response, we will engage in rolling mass action directed at the farmer and the DLA."

Tom Silinda from the Department of Land Affairs said they would respond.