THE old couple has been living on the land for 39 years, but now the new owner wants them gone.
However, they won’t be leaving empty-handed. The owner is allegedly prepared to compensate them with a laughable R1 000 each.
The couple, King Nkosi (68) and his wife Keti Nhlanhla (61), from Springbokfontein near Davel in Mpumalanga, would not budge. So the owner has taken their four cows.
“I began living on Henor farm in 1977. I don’t know any other place I can call home,” said the madala.
“I have never experienced any problems with the old owner. But since the new owner bought the farm in 2012, life has been hell for my family. The owner doesn’t want my relatives to visit me in the farm.
“When he sees a car coming, he stops them and tells them never to come back. He locked the main gates and now we have to crawl under the fence to enter,” he claimed.
Madala King said the new farmer claimed to have a court order that allows him to evict them from the farm. But they allegedly haven’t seen the piece of paper.
“He said if we leave the farm, he will give us R2 000 as compensation. I was both shocked and angry.”
But farmer Korney van Huiten denied trying to kick the family off the farm. He said he took King’s cows because a contract they signed said the madala was only allowed to have three cows, not more.
Rural development and land reform spokesman Zithini Dlamini advised King to visit their offices in Ermelo for help.
Dlamini said: “There is an Act that protects the rights of farm dwellers. The family must also enquire if the department could not assist with alternative accommodation if they wish to relocate.”
