Land beneficiaries ordered to return grape farm
The SIU's probe into the acquisition of a once-profitable export table grape farm in the Western Cape has found that it had been done unlawfully.
The Citizen reports that in a statement issued on Friday, the SIU revealed the Western Cape High Court (Cape Town) found the decision of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform & Rural Development (DALRRD) in February 2012 to appoint the ‘Big Five’ as land reform beneficiaries of Farm De La Haye in De Doorns was unlawful.
The SIU said the department’s acquisition of the farm for R19m at the time was premature, as no land reform beneficiary had been identified before the purchase was made.
As a result, the acquisition by the ‘Big Five, consisting of Weziwe Dlwengu, Mpho Malaoa, Monelo Bongo, Vuyani Vanyaza and Mandluleli Mzayiya’, has been declared unlawful.
They have been ordered by the court to vacate the property within 60 days.
The SIU investigated corruption and maladministration within the department after 15 candidates potentially in line to acquire the land on the DALRRD’s beneficiary list were ignored in favour of the ‘Big Five’ and its members.
According to the SIU’s investigation, the group did not meet the criteria to acquire the farm, refused to co-operate with the department, and did not follow relevant processes required for grants to be released to enable farming to continue.
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
