Piet Hendriks, a pensioner, faces an uncertain future after attorneys representing Langgewacht Farm in Paarl served five households, including his, with an eviction notice.
The 67-year-old man has lived on the farm he calls home for over 20 years, along with his wife Maria, 59, his brother David, 77, and two young children.
Hendriks said if he and his family were evicted they would have nowhere else to go.
“This farm manager wants us gone because they want to build horse stalls here and they made promises, but lied to us about new houses.
“These old homes are falling apart and have no running water or electricity. We have to use water from a stream from a neighbouring farm and boil it because it's not clean water.”
Phillipina Brink has lived on the farm for 21 years, but now the farm's owners want their staff to be housed at their place of work.
“He has brought in his own people and we had to find work elsewhere, and for the past four years we have lived without water or electricity.
“Their agents keep coming and making promises, but nothing happens and all we want is for them to give us houses, but we can't be put out on the street with children and pensioners," she said.
Community worker Claire Davids said that she was approached by the families for help and had informed the owners that they must adhere to the Extension of Security of Tenure Act (ESTA).
She said it was wrong of the owners to begin an eviction process when they had not done all they could to provide housing for the families.
Albert Anderson said he managed Langgewacht Farm on behalf of a company which plans to farm livestock and horses.
“These homes are in very derelict conditions and should be demolished.
“Since we took over the farm in 2015, we have been trying to reach an agreement.
“We bought a house in Stellenbosch, which is still empty because these people refuse to move.
“They keep changing their minds like they change underwear and we keep going back and forth."
Anderson said this was why they began the legal eviction process to bring the Langgewacht families to the negotiation table and finalise the matter.
He said that he was not ducking and diving, but plans for the farm meant that the old homes had to be demolished.