TUESDAY, 3.30PM:
THE European Union Foundation for Human Rights and three South African non-government organisations launched an innovative R2,5-million project aimed at terminating farm evictions in six South African provinces on Wednesday.
African Eye News Service reports that the farm eviction project was initiated by the National Land Committee, the Centre for Applied Legal Studies and the Legal Resources Centre as a joint programme following the introduction of the Extension of Security of Tenure Act last year.
The new project is intended to ensure that rural people can understand and defend their new rights under the Act, even while living on a farmer’s land and without the necessary funds.
The project will give support directly to rural people in the form of crisis assistance and legal support, while also training magistrates and lawyers about the complexities of the Act.
The EU Foundation for Human Rights believes the project will assist in gaining long-term and secure access to land for the country’s poor labour tenants.
It said the project is important because the government currently has limited capacity to implement measures introduced by the Extension of Security of Tenure Act and to deal with white farmers’ resistance to these measures.