Roger Roman from Po Land writes:

He’s 92, For God’s sake

This is an open letter to Mr. Henry Van Vuuren, a landowner of several properties in Broederstroom.

Dear Mr. Van Vuuren.

I am writing to you in connection with the illegal evictions you are attempting to implement on some of your properties on the Skuilkloof Road. In the last six weeks you have used the following tactics to try to force residents from your land:
∙ Eviction notices that ignore the legal requirements to be valid.
∙ Cut off water and electricity supplies to the residents.
∙ Organised a SAPS raid in the middle of the night.
∙ Used the security company of which you are apparently a co-owner, and in particular Mr. Joseph Maluleke, to repeatedly threaten evictions, to break down fencing, and to remove some of the foundations of houses.
That you have failed to do includes the following:
∙ To follow the law, in particular the Extension of Security of Tenure Act.
∙ To obtain a court order, or the services of the sheriff.
∙ To take heed of warnings that you are behaving illegally.
∙ To display any humanity whatsoever.
One of the residents you seek to throw out is Ntate Robert Milanzi a South African citizen who has lived there for 49 years. He has no other home to go to. And Mr. Van Vuuren he is 92 years old. Old enough to be your father, maybe even your grandfather. For God Sake, Mr. Van Vuuren, Stop it. This is inhumanity at its worst. Do you have no respect for old people, for the law, or for the community within which you have chosen to live? Your actions are irresponsible as well as illegal, particularly as they take place on land under claim and many of the people you are trying to evict are lare claimants. The same land claimants whose leadership you have tried to buy with alleged contracts and promises that never materialize. Yet now you think you can throw some of the elders of that community out onto the streets.
Your behaviour has the potential to impact negatively on the other landowners affected by the Mekgareng Land Claim.
I was relieved to hear Mr. Patrick Jonsson and other members of the Committee absolutely condemning any and all illegal evictions on the part of landowners. They emphasized that the rule of law is crucial to land reform, and that includes laws regulating evictions. Your actions are uniquely selfish and damage a community you seem not willing to fit into. They breed anger, racial tensions, and further illegal activities in response. When you have turned dignified men and women, parents and children alike, into refugees on the side of the road will you then regard them as criminals, and squatters
Where is your humanity Mr. Van Vuuren?
∙ Kormorant tried to contact Mr. Van Vuuren on several occasions on Tuesday reaching only a voicemail. A message was left but no return call was forthcoming.

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B. Walters from Schoemansville writes:

Situations should be sorted out

It is about time that the Madileng Council sorts out the water situation in Schoemansville.
Last week for 4 days there was no water from mid-morning till 10 o'clock at night, the reason cleaning out of the reservoir. Saturday, 21 October, no water, too much watering of the gardens, according to radio Highveld. Now on Monday, no water from mid morning, and when the after hours centre was contacted, was informed that they were fixing the pipeline, and no water till the morning!
A visit to the water purification works on Saturday revealed that there was more to the whole sorry story. The pump can deliver water from the dam at some 120l/s; but the first stage of the purification works can only handle some 105l/s, a possible "waste" of 25l/s! there appears to be the need for an expansion of these works. Also what about the actual water storage dams? The 10 megalitre reservoir in Schoemansville must feed the lower lying reservoirs first before filling up and supplying water to the local residents.
Now is the time for the Council to give us answers and to act pro-actively.
Their excuse of everyone is watering their garden is running a bit thin, where are the inspectors going round to stop the excessive watering. Where is the communication stating what is happening?
We need answers.
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25 October 2006