Durban - Poverty, demolitions and crop-spraying is feeding tensions between Indian sugar cane farmers and struggling black families who have lived peacefully alongside them for years.
Sixty-seven-year-old Vuyiswa Mhlakaza described her family’s life at her home in a farming community in Ntokozweni between Verulam and Inanda as an “embarrassment”.
Mhlakaza has been living in the area, in a small home adjacent to farm land, for more than three generations, yet says it does not feel like it.
“If you were to get into my house, it would be an embarrassment, I cannot even buy a bed because there is no space,” she said.
“I tried to build a six-roomed house but it was demolished.
“The Indian farmer said this was not my place but his,” she said.
She has a family of 15 people ranging from her children to great-grandchildren. She uses one of her rooms in the main house as a tuckshop.
Tension between the community and farmers boiled over earlier this week when some community members attacked and assaulted farm workers, in what was described as an attempted land grab.
Mhlakaza said they were not allowed to build additional structures on the land they live on.
Members of the community said they had tried to reach out to reason with the Indian farmers but without luck.
An elderly man, who asked not to be named, concurred with Mhlakaza.
He said the land matter affected the broader community.
“On Monday we attempted to voice our unhappiness regarding the injustices the farmers subject us to.
“They plant sugar cane right up to our front yards. They then use chemicals that are toxic to children when they play outside.”
He alleged that people had died as a consequence of being exposed to the chemicals.
The community burnt logs and tyres to blockade the entry to a farm.
They were later dispersed by the police. It was resolved that a meeting should be held between the community and the police.
They agreed that no work would be done until the stand-off had been resolved.
“On Tuesday morning we woke up to a normal working day. We tried to negotiate with the farmers that they should stop doing the farm work. This is where a second altercation ensued.
“They called the police who started arresting people who were gathered at Mhlakaza’s home. They were meeting in an attempt to request pieces of land for them to live on,” he said.
The community members said they had to plead with the police to release community members. It was only after their release that the angry crowd were dispersed.
The local inkosi, Mqoqi Ngcobo, said he had been in discussions and they managed to resolve the matter on Tuesday.
“This incident happened while I was away. I have called a meeting with all stake-holders. I told them it is not proper to be attacking the farmers as they are reported to have done,” he said.
Ngcobo said he believed the Indian farmers could do a lot to help the community members.
“They cannot do as they please and abuse the people who live there. They (the farmers) apologised for planting too closely to community members’ yards and spraying chemicals that endanger lives,” he added.
Natal Cane Growers Association’s president Yaga Govender confirmed the farmers’ participation in the meeting at which the matter was resolved.
“It has become apparent that the racial intonations and injustices that have engulfed the area were a result of criminal elements and the inkosi’s name was abused.
“He distanced himself from it and that matter is with the police now.
“Yes, there are problems that need to be discussed and resolved.
“We have lived for a very long time without these racial problems,” he said.
Govender said that such situations did not augur well in the current economic climate.
“This causes a further strain on the economy. Agriculture cannot be left to get ruined by such criminal elements,” he said.
Members of the Entokozweni community discuss their problems with the farmers in the area.
The Mercury