A South African farmer is annoyed, no not annoyed so angry he will defy the South African law with whatever means he has to. The blatant theft, harassment, over taxing and farm murder is to stop. The farmer is ready to go to war over his legally owned land and will fight to the end to protect what is legally his.
In his own words, here is his story.
This is to do with government stealing land from Whites.
My father was an officer in the Second South African Division during the War, World War II. He came back and carried on farming on his farm near Pietermaritzburg. I was the sixth child in the family, part of the Baby Boomers, children born after the War. Sending children to private school were affordable.
As time went on, the cost of sending children to private schools got more expensive. My parents did all they could to send me to the best private schools, Cowan House and Hilton College. I started at Hilton College January 1967.
Due to the expenses involved in sending me to Hilton College, my father asked an army friend to help him sell his timber, so he would get more income. This friend took full advantage of my father. (This friend brought in an Indian and encouraged him to take him to court.) This was about 1968.
A buyer to take the wattle trees was arranged. Well and good. At the meeting when the new buyer was introduced, an (Asian) Indian was at that meeting in my father’s house. There would be a lot of unused timber left behind after this new buyer had taken what he wanted. He only wanted a certain type of product.
It was asked whether my father could give the Indian what was left behind. My father being generous said, “Mr. S can take this timber. . . He can have it for free. . .”
About a year, later Mr. S had only come to take the timber away a few times. My father thought he would be taking it every day, making a good job cleaning the area.
My father was anxious. He sent my brother to go to the timber area, about 4km away from his house. To get there he had to walk up a very steep road, for the sake of having to tell the Indian to get on with the job. My brother also was exceedingly angry. He found a few Africans employed by Mr. S taking timber. Without another word, he told the Africans to get off the land and not return.
About a month later, a registered letter arrives in the post. “We are taking you to Supreme Court for breach of (verbal) contract. . . You owe Mr. S R2500 and. . . .” R2500 was a lot of money then. About R250 000 in today’s monetary value. School fees were R800 per year, also a lot of money. My father was furious. He refused to meet their demand.
He went to the Supreme Court. A Long story.
However when he went to his own lawyer, the lawyer was giving papers away to the opposition lawyer. My father submitted a document to his own lawyer; suddenly the opposition had it and read it out! Therefore, my father fired that lawyer and got Senior Council in the process.
Court day comes. The legal teams had one massive fight. . . They were enjoying themselves, which made my father angry. My brother was called as a witness. “Did you tell Mr. S’s Africans to leave your father’s timber plantation when they were working. . .?” My brother answered, “Yes. . .”
Court was adjourned. The judge, Judge Dennis Fannin, was a fellow officer with my father in the War. He called my father to his chambers. “I have to rule against you in this matter. I strongly recommend that you settle out of court and come to an agreement with Mr. S. If you don’t do that, it will cost R5000 per day in the Supreme Court, and you might well lose this case. . .” My father had no choice.
He approached Senior Council who approached Mr. S’s legal counsel and struck an agreement to settle. This was brought to the court, and the Judge entered that as his finding and result, in the court files. Only one day in court and the matter was settled. My marks at school went down. I did finish standard 10 but failed my matric.
When I was in love with a fair girl, others taunted me. “He failed his matric. . . Don’t marry him. . .”End of romantic relationship was instant. I was 28 years old then. I know of many others who went to the same school and failed their matric! There were also taunting me at that time. Hypocrites! “In breach of contract” that has always stuck. The humiliations I got from “in break of contract,”, and it was not my fault, has always haunted me.
Now comes election time. I did not vote in the 1994 elections, as I would not agree to the result. End of story!
Mr. Big Boots Pravin Gordhan, an (Asian) Indian, says “We will increase municipal rates by over 200% per year, pay up. . . Or else”, Not in your life will I pay, not even one cent! I never agreed to that!
Even with 76% majority vote, will I never agree to give my farm over to anyone? Not even to the high class White estate agents or to those blacks who want my land. . .
All farmers should be told. You only lose your farm if you agree.
No, Expropriation Bill, Land Restitution Act, Land Reform Act will I ever agree to, let them have either my land or my things! The High Court, Appeal Court and Constitution Court can try issue a rule to take my farm away, I will still not let them take it. I will defy their order.
The courts have irrevocable damaged my life due to a Supreme Court ruling, based “in breach of verbal contract.”
I am still not married. I have no children, and they expect me to hand over just because they have lots of children and extended families?
Tell farmers all over South Africa, never give your farms over, no matter how much or little you own, Even if high officials come and say, “We take your farm away. . .” Do not let them.
“In the national interest” is no reason to use. It is a lie!
South African farmers have experienced a wave of brutal murders of the last couple of years and there has to be an end to the savage violence taking place in the country. United the farmers stand and will protect their property that is legally theirs. No land grabs no government intervention and no more murders.
By Laura Oneale
South Africa Today – South Africa News
