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farm Tug-of-war

Sontaga Robert Mokwena, 50, from Belview Block 12 outside Tzaneen in Limpopo is claiming that his farm was sold. PHOTO: ELIJAR MUSHIANA
Sontaga Robert Mokwena, 50, from Belview Block 12 outside Tzaneen in Limpopo is claiming that his farm was sold. PHOTO: ELIJAR MUSHIANA

Alex Matlala

A brouhaha between established farmer Philly Van Zyl and his upcoming counterpart Robert Mokwena has erupted over a piece of a fertile land in Mooketsi near Tzaneen in Limpopo.

So serious is the matter that it has been brought to the attention of the Pretoria High Court this week.

The court will have to determine the exact owner of the land.

Van Zyl of ZZ2 Tomato farms in Mooketsi allegedly claims to have bought the land from Francis Harm Ignatius Du Plessis Lizamore.

He has secured an urgent court order to evict Mokwena from the farm on the basis that he did not own it.

On Wednesday, Van Zyl sent security guards to shut the gates leading to Mokwena's farm and property.

Mokwena's family, which also lives at the farm, had to seek refuge with neighbours for three days until they appeared in the Pretoria High Court.

The court reversed the decision to evict the Mokwenas in order to gather more information about the farm.

In an interview with Sowetan yesterday, Mokwena said he bought the farm from Lizamore in 1990 and signed the contract in 1996.

Sowetan is in possession of a signed agreement and documents of the sale of the farm.

The document reads in part: "I have sold the farm to Robert Sontaga Mokwena on 14 April 1996 and confirm receipt of money for that farm from Mokwena and no one else.

The 162 hectors of land adjacent to the main road near Houtbosdorp in Mooketsi was sold for R400 000.

Mokwena, a father of four, claims he had been approached by Van Zyl on several occasions to buy the farm from him but he had refused.

Van Zyl refused to speak to Sowetan saying the matter was still before the court.

He is said to be currently owning nearly 85 000 hectares of land which he uses for tomato farming.

His produce is exported to various markets overseas such as Asia, Europe and United States of America.

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