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Agriculture

Afasa wants government to stop harassing black farmers

───   15:54 Wed, 25 Jan 2017

Afasa wants government to stop harassing black farmers | News Article
Photo: Sabrina Dean/OFM News

Pretoria - The African Farmers Association of South Africa, Afasa, has put out a strongly worded statement calling on Government to stop harassing and intimidating black farmers.


This comes in the wake of a debt collection initiative allegedly initiated by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.

Afasa Secretary General Aggrey Mahanjana says they have received shocking reports from their members. 

He says members who are leasing government farms, or serving in caretaker roles, have received messages from a private debt collection company. Some who are in arrears have also been threatened with legal action.

Mahanjana says this came as a shock as AFASA was promised during its congress last year by land reform minister Gugile Nkwinti and the department’s Director General Mdu Shabane, that the farmer harassment would be stopped.

He says the process is further flawed because many farmers have yet to receive proper lease agreements or settlement payouts. Mahanjana says instead of engaging with them, Government has ignored concerns.

OFM News hopes to conduct an interview with the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform soon to also share Government's side of the story.


- Source: Statement

 

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