Farm dwellers protest over 'ill-treating' farmer

HUNDREDS of dwellers of Aussicht Farm and local residents staged a protest march yesterday, saying a local farmer was ill-treating them.

The protest, attended by traditional leader Inkosi Zakhele Sithole, was held at Kranskop, KwaZulu-Natal, a few kilometres from the man's farm. Police were deployed to monitor the protest.

Sithole said the people decided to march after a series of meetings between them and the farmer, only known as "Kartman", failed to solve the ongoing conflict.

"The farm's dwellers are subjected to ill-treatment. The farmer beats them as he wishes. He doesn't allow them to build houses using bricks. They can only build makeshift structures using mud."

Sithole said the labourers also had to drink dirty water used by livestock.

"The farmer does not allow them to drink clean water and instead tells them that they can drink with cows and goats. He also doesn't allow them to have livestock."

He claimed the farmer had also ploughed over people's graves.

"Our great-grandfathers' graves have been ploughed open and it hurts a lot.

"We have tried to engage him several times. He promises to treat people with respect but then goes back to his wayward ways, that is why we are marching."

Attempts to get a response from the farmer proved fruitless as he did not even come to accept the memorandum, which was accepted by the police on his behalf.

The protesters also handed over a memorandum to the provincial department of agriculture, giving it seven days to respond to their grievances.