eShowe violence may be related to land disputes: KZN Agriculture
The KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development believes the unrest that followed the shooting of a 30-year-old man near Eshowe in Zululand this week could reflect deeper issues regarding land in the area.
Yesterday, department officials visited community members as well as farms and farm buildings that were torched, allegedly by protestors from Umlalazi.
The community there became enraged when Siphamandla Xulu was shot, allegedly by a private security guard, while fishing at a private dam on Tuesday.
The remains of staff quarters at Corby Hill Estate, after the #eshoweunrest yesterday @ECR_Newswatch pic.twitter.com/F5P1zqsRMa
— Bernadette Wolhuter (@bernwolhuter) March 16, 2018
Agriculture's Khaye Nkwanyana says issues around land disputes emerged when engaging with different stakeholders.
"The elephant in the room are issues of land disputes. We are picking up the fact that there could be an issue around communities and traditional leaders thinking that the areas that farms are located are areas that should be under land reform claims," Nkwanyana said.
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Despite saying the situation could have been handled better, Nkwanyana feels the torching of property cannot be justified.
Nkwanyana says there is a sense of fear among farmers in the community. He says angry community members who allegedly torched properties did so irrespective of who the farm belonged to.
Meanwhile, KZN Agricultural Union, KwaNalu is appealing to communities to remain calm. KwaNalu issued a statement yesterday saying it believes the shooting and unrest that occurred in Eshowe are not related to land.
It says the isolated event just happened to be played out on a farm. KwaNalu is urging communities to allow the law to take its course.