‘Farm worker faces eviction despite residency rights’ 9 April 2021

Endulini Sundays Fruit (Pty) Ltd of Kirkwood, a prominent Eastern Cape citrus farm, is attempting to evict a 45-year-old farm worker and her two minor children, both of whom were born and raised on the farm. The farm, located about 80km from Gqeberha, is one of the biggest producers of citrus fruits in the province. Buyiswa Dayi was born on the farm and has lived there all her life. Despite this, she received a notice under the Extension of Security of Tenure Act that the farm owner would apply for an eviction order against her within two months.

…Her parents – both of whom are over 60 years old and have lived on the farm for more than 10 years – are protected from eviction by the same act. Despite this, Dayi says Endulini previously tried to evict her father in 2007, even though he was then 62 and had been living on the farm for 40 years. “This is the third time a white manager is trying to evict me. A manager gave my father a paper of eviction in 2007. They take chances. In 2016, another manager cut off my electricity and told me I’m not supposed to be there. I didn’t get work that year. But we refused to go. In 2017, they just sent someone to call me back to work,” said Dayi.

… New Frame reported in 2019 that Endulini owner Pieter Ferreira and a group of other commercial farmers had interdicted the Khanyisa Educational and Development Trust and the Kouga Farm Workers Reunion, and a group of farm workers and officials of these organisations, from saying anything negative publicly about the company. This after the groups organised a farm workers’ protest about working conditions on the farm. Ferreira describes the oranges grown on the farm as the “Ferrari” of citrus. Pressed for more information on the matter, Wijnants said, “The matter is sub judice and will be dealt with in court where all the parties will have the opportunity to present their cases. Under the circumstances we decline to comment.”