Durban -The KwaZulu-Natal Agriculture and Rural Development MEC, Themba Mthembu, has called on the provincial cabinet to intervene in a violent dispute between the black community of Kranskop and a white farmer.
The Sgedlana community have since early last week protested, often violently, against farmer Carl Gathmann - who they have accused of terrorising them, including digging up graves of their ancestors in order to plant mealies.
The violence in Kranskop had been going on for more than a week, where protesters blocked the R74, between Kranskop and Greytown, with logs, tyres and broken bottles, and set alight some properties belonging to Gathmann.
Gathmann did not respond to several calls and text messages sent to him. But he has previously denied digging up graves.
After visiting the troubled community, who are living on Gathmann’s farm, this week, Mthembu said he consulted the cabinet for a solution on the dispute between them and the farmer.
“The matter of Kranskop is of national importance, hence I decided to report it to the cabinet and will give the Sgedlana community feedback within a month,” Mthembu said yesterday.
He said he heard disappointing allegations against the Kranskop police station, from both the community and Gathmann.
Community members alleged that their complaints of grave digging had fallen on deaf ears at the police station. Instead, “the police commander would tell them to bring a lawyer to lay a charge and not assist them to open cases”.
“The farm owner, Mr Gathmann, also had similar complaints against the station commander.
“He also claims that when violence broke out on his farm, he called the station commander and she never did anything,” Mthembu said.
Senior police provincial manager General Bhekinkosi Langa had accompanied him on behalf of acting provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, he said.
“General Langa also told the community that removing graves was a criminal offence and, if indeed Mr Gathmann has done so, they must lay criminal charges against him,” Mthembu said.
Langa told the community and Gathmann to contact the Greytown police station, which is about 40km from them, as they were allegedly not being assisted by their local station.
Mthembu said he had requested a forensic investigation to establish if the area which Gathmann had dug up had graves “as there were contradicting reports from the farm owner and the Sgedlane community”.
He added that “because some of our concerns involved workers and working conditions, I also invited Cosatu leadership to attend the meeting”.
The police communications department said it was waiting for a response from the Kranskop police station.