Home | News | FARMERS, TIBIYO IN VUVULANE TAKEOVER WAR

FARMERS, TIBIYO IN VUVULANE TAKEOVER WAR

25/07/2020 07:43:00 BY Zwelakhe Moahloli

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VUVULANE – It is a face-off. Following the liquidation of Vuvulane Irrigated Farms (VIF) (Pty) Ltd, approximately 304 Vuvulane farmers want to take over the administration.
On the other hand, Tibiyo TakaNgwane, the owners of the defunct VIF, believe that will never happen.

VIF is the company that ran most agricultural operations at Vuvulane until it was liquidated in November 2005.
In an interview on Monday, the farmers alleged that they had information that Tibiyo TakaNgwane was on the verge of introducing another entity to run Vuvulane.
Their representative, Mpisi Dlamini, said they were ready to counter this move.

Dlamini, who was in the company of some farmers, said they already have an entity in place. “Ngeke basiphindze (They cannot do this to us again),” Dlamini said when referring to the takeover of VIF from the farmers.
He also used the adage, lightning cannot strike the same place twice when describing their tactic.

“Farmers instructed us to establish our own entity. We do not want an entity that will take the farmers’ land. This establishment will develop the farmers,” he said.
He stressed that it was registered with the sole purpose of developing and assisting the indigenous farmers.

Pausing a few seconds, Dlamini revealed that the name of the new entity was CDC Vuvulane Irrigated Farmers. CDC stands for Commonwealth Development Corporation.
Asked to elaborate on the name, Dlamini said they decided to include CDC because it originated from the co-founders of Vuvulane.
Initially, the founders were the Commonwealth Development Corporation.
The elderly Dlamini explained that the new entity constituted approximately 304 farmers.

Children

“In fact, the membership is more than the 304 because the organisation will also cater for the farmers’ children and generations to come,” he elaborated.
Further, Dlamini pointed out that the land owned by the farmers was approximately 20 000 hectares, but they were being confined to about 1 200 hectares.
Also, Dlamini mentioned that CDC Vuvulane Irrigated Farmers would be taking over the offices which were used by the liquidated VIF.

Adding, he said they were currently trying to raise funds to buy furniture and also do renovations.
“In fact, the furniture that was inside formed part of the liquid assets. We believe it was wrong to auction the furniture and other equipment because these things belonged to the farmers not VIF.
“These things were left under the care of the farmers by CDC,” Dlamini alleged.
Asked to give a brief background on how the farmers acquired land from CDC, Dlamini recounted that the British acquired Farm 860 during the colonial era. He said it all started in 1946 when King George came to the country accompanied by Queen Elizabeth II.

Around 1957, Dlamini recalled that the British government then settled at Vuvulane and started to develop the area. “They started with farming rice. A year later, they then informed the rice farmers of their intention to establish a sugar cane growing scheme,” he said.
He went on to state that the people were introduced to the scheme in small numbers, starting with those in 1963.
When the farmers were introduced into the scheme, Dlamini said CDC drew an agreement with them.

Part of the agreement, Dlamini recounted that these farmers were labour tenants.
Explaining this point, Dlamini said it meant the farmers were paying for their farms through their labour. “That is why even if you can go to the Deeds Office, you will find that the farmers have notarial deeds,” he said while showing this reporter one of the title deeds.

Around 1965, Dlamini said the British came up with new guidelines which stated that once a farmer passes on, his family was expected to vacate the land.He mentioned that the farmers refused to sign the new regulations because they believed their next of kin should benefit from their toil.

Standoff

As such, Dlamini said there was a standoff between the farmers and the corporation. This, according to Dlamini, led to a strike, with the farmers refusing to harvest the sugarcane.
Towards the end of 1967, he said the farmers sent a delegation to report the latest development to King Sobhuza II.
He said the King instructed Prince Makhosini, who was a member of the Swazi National Council to handle the matter.
Further, he said the King also instructed one Douglas Lukhele to engage the British on their behalf.

He described the meeting with the corporation fruitful because the agreement reverted to the original, which allowed the next of kin to inherit the farm.
He pointed that this was not just a mere verbal agreement, but it went through the courts.
Dlamini stated that CDC was represented by a lawyer known as Oxfort while the farmers were represented by Lukhele (Douglas).
Further, Dlamini said it was agreed that the CDC would deduct a certain percentage of their earnings, which would be saved in a certain account.
He recalled that these savings would be handed over to the farmers after 20 years.

When the country gained independence in 1968, he said they went back to the King to request that the land should be handed over to the farmers.
In turn, he said the King assigned Dr Sishayi Nxumalo to engage the British government.
“The British said Nuclear Estate and Nokwane would be sold to them for E3 million, which was to be paid in instalments over three years. “Around 1981, the King called the farmers to a meeting where he informed them that the land had been handed over to them,” he recounted.

He also said the King informed them that some officials from Tibiyo had approached him with the intention of taking over the land. The MD at that time was Sipho Dlamini.
In 1982, King Sobhuza II passed on.

The following year, Dlamini said the British government represented, by Van de Vaart, came to bid the farewell.
He recalled that the meeting was held at the incumbent Vuvulane Farmers Association premises.
Parked outside, he said were 18 brand new tractors. Speaking on their behalf was the late Prince Lokhakhi.

money

“When passing a vote of thanks, Prince Lokhakhi enquired from Vaan de Vaart about the whereabouts of the money that had been saved on behalf of the farmers.
“He said the money had been given to the then Tibiyo MD Sipho Dlamini and Prince Mfanasibili. Prince Mfanasibili, who was present at the meeting, pointed at a white envelope he was carrying money inside. He advised that we must appoint two people they would engage about it. We then appointed Prince Lokhakhi and Simon Mabuza,” he said.
Instead of getting the money, Dlamini said their representatives were informed about the establishment of a company known as Swaziland National Agricultural Development Corporation (SNADC) whose patron was the Queen mother.
The company was to run the affairs of the farmers.

“We did not want to hear anything about that. We then decided to have an audience with the Queen Regent. She was shocked about the development,” Dlamini alleged.
Years later, after the coronation of His Majesty King Mswati III, Dlamini alleged that the King advised them not to be affiliated under any organisation.

Substantiating his claim, Dlamini said the King commissioned SWADE to educate the farmers on how they would manage and also develop their business.
He then alleged that they were shocked when VIF was introduced to run the affairs of Vuvulane farmers.
“From the time VIF was introduced, we have been at loggerheads with them. We have been in and out of courts. And in most instances, we have come out victorious,” he said.