Farmer 'sabotaged' road

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Villagers were forced to walk up to 70km to find transport after a farmer allegedly dug a 3m deep trench that prevented them from using an access road to get to town.

A group of pensioners from eSibhintsheni village, in KwaZulu-Natal, who live next to the farm, claimed they could not collect their pensions after Ignus Bruyns dug the trench on Thursday morning.

The access road cuts across his fruit farm, Channells Farms.

"It's very painful. My grandchildren had to walk a long distance to get transport to school because of the ruthless action of the farmer," said Babutheleni Mhlongo, 62.

Trucks were unable to deliver water to the village.

By the afternoon villagers, most of them grandmothers, had filled up the trench so that the children could use the road when they returned from school.

Bruyns locked himself in his office and refused to comment.

Community leader Sibahle Zulu said this was not the first time Bruyns had "mistreated" them.

Angry villagers alleged that in 2009 Bruyns set their homes alight .

They claimed the farmer told them that their homes were built on his land and that they were occupying it illegally.

No criminal case was opened.

Mkhaliseni Qwabe, 78, said the farmer's latest action showed that he did not care for their wellbeing.

The farm belongs to a Cape Town concern, Farmsecure. Trevor Francis, Farmsecure's human resources manager, said the company was committed to fostering good relations with the community.

"I will be flying to KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday to meet the community and the local inkosi to find an amicable solution," said Francis.

He said the company would look into the allegations against Bruyns.

Bruyns and the Zulu royal family of eNtembeni are locked in a dispute about the same land.

The dispute centres on a title deed to another farm operated by Bruyns, which was said to have been bought by the late Chief Sitheku kaMpande Zulu.

The deputy mayor of Emthonjaneni municipality, Gabriel Gumede, said the dispute had been reported to parliament.

"Parliament assigned Nomalungelo Gina to find a lasting solution. We will be meeting the farmer on Wednesday to address the issue. We asked the community to remain calm," Gumede said.
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Link.
 
Sounds like something out of Looney Tunes, except he dug the hole instead of pulling it out of a bag.
 
If it is a 3m trench then why did they have to walk 70km to get around it.

Their mathematics education must be really bad.
 
nfbs said:
If it is a 3m trench then why did they have to walk 70km to get around it.

Their mathematics education must be really bad.
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3m deep.

Your comprehension must be really bad.

Not sure of the width of the trench but I'm hoping it's fenced on either side...
 
If the road is on his land then he has every right to do this.

You'll probably find there has been theft or its becoming a security risk having randoms walk through his property.
 
abzo said:
3m deep.

Your comprehension must be really bad.

Not sure of the width of the trench but I'm hoping it's fenced on either side...
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This. They're lucky they have an alternative route out, a lot of rural roads don't.
 
Why don't they just place a plank down and create a bridge, where there's a will there's a way.
 
So they are on his land illegally, he says, then they should get off.
Perhaps he has had attacks on his farm and he is doing it for security?
Amazing how people defend farm attacks because of this and without knowing the facts.
 
marine1 said:
So they are on his land illegally, he says, then they should get off.
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The only person claiming this is the farmer, if he was right about this he wouldn't have any issue talking to the press.
 
abzo said:
3m deep.

Your comprehension must be really bad.

Not sure of the width of the trench but I'm hoping it's fenced on either side...
Click to expand...
OK show me then on a google maps how they have to walk almost the length of the Comrades marathon to get to the nearest transport I assume they mean is a road that taxis travel on.
 
How did a guy with a cane get to the other side? I'm not believing he walked 70km for a photo opp.
 
BrandonH said:
If the road is on his land then he has every right to do this.
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You forget that most of this farmland was stolen in the first place, in fact a lot of people were killed when they were dispossessed of the land.
 
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