The Community News
Published by the Walkerville Agricultural Society - August / September 2010 Issue 67
A Moratorium on the Eviction of Squatters?
The Wildebeestfontein Community has again applied to the Land Claims Court for the resuscitation and review of their land claim together with a “Moratorium on Eviction of Squatters”. While the possibility of this further claim being settled by anything other than monetary compensation is extremely remote, it is the application for a moratorium on the eviction of squatters that is of most alarming as it raises concerns of large scale land invasions.
A Brief history of this land claim, the area affected by the claim, and why it is being raised again.
Two separate groups claim to be representing the community – WECO (Wildebeesfontein Evaton Community Organisation) and WECA (Wildebeesfontein Evaton Community Association) which creates some confusion in understanding what has already happened and why there is an ongoing claim. WECO has asked the Land Claims Court to order the Land Claims Commission to reveal details of a R48 million settlement deal that has allegedly been reached with some of its members, as they lodged the original claim and are therefore the only entity capable of negotiating a settlement with the government. (The claim was originally for a farm called Wildebeesfontein and covers parts of the North West and Gauteng. Mondeor, Eldorado Park, Eikenhof, parts of Meyerton, Vereeniging, De Deur and Vanderbijlpark are some of the places listed as being part of the original farm). Apparently the community inherited the land from Mr & Mrs Adams after Word War 2. Currently the community is about 50,000 people. Since then the matter has gone to various courts, been dismissed, been reinstated and generally gone back and forth for some years. Who got the 48 million and that the settlement was too low are generally at the heart of the matter.
While Midvaal’s legal council believes that the case has little merit and is possibly politically motivated, what makes it of great concern to Midvaal (in fact to the Sedibeng district, of which we are one of three municipalities) is the application for a moratorium on the eviction of squatters for the next 18 months OR until the matter is settled. WECO has cited a total of 18 respondents in their application including the SAPS, major banks and various municipalities who they accuse of evicting their members.
What is required to oppose both the application for the review of land claim and the granting of a moratorium on the eviction of squatters.
Midvaal Council and the Eikenhof Farmers Association (EFA) represented by Johan Bosch – CEO of the Red Ants are opposing the application. Only the original respondents may oppose the application, therefore it is absolutely necessary that we support EFA in their efforts to ensure that the moratorium on evictions is not granted as all property owners and residents in the Midvaal area will be affected in some way. If you would like to assist the EFA with a monetary contribution towards the legal costs which are expected to exceed R70,000 please contact redant@telkomsa.net. (any amount gratefully received)
What will happen if the Moratorium is granted?
No squatters within the Midvaal area can be evicted and unlike the recent incident at Peel’s Farm where an attempted land invasion occurred, the authorities will not be able to stop them. Currently the Red Ants are under contract to Midvaal to patrol the whole area and be on the lookout for any attempts to erect illegal dwellings and dismantle them immediately. You might have noticed their bakkies driving around the area on the weekends. As the need for land and houses is great and we have large properties these attempts occur more often than we realize and the Red Ants are kept busy almost every weekend. Property owners will have no rights should squatters attempt to invade land while the moratorium is in place. The possible implications for the 2011 Municipal Elections, and the financial strain placed on the Midvaal Municipality is serious.
What can YOU do to help?
Be extra vigilant and patrol or inspect your property, or any other properties that are large and have areas that you cannot easily see. Especially those that are vacant, or abandoned, as these are often mistaken for “Council Land”. The “48 hour” law no longer applies. Once the dwelling has been erected and the occupant has moved in, they have squatter rights. It is imperative that any attempt be stopped as soon as materials are offloaded or any activity starts.
Should you note any such activity please contact the following 24 hour services.
016 360 7500 (Fire Department and after hours emergency line)
083 625 9250 for Ward 7
082 410 5633 for Ward 5
Be particularly careful of who you rent accommodation to, and ensure that you have a rental agreement in place, no matter how simply worded as it might be your only protection.
Editorial by Elaine Potgieter
I thought our local hard working and dedicated vets would enjoy the following story (it very likely could have happened here in Walkerville!)
A local resident takes her duck to the vet. With just a brief glance the vet pronounces that the duck is dead.
Taken aback, the lady protests “but you haven't even checked him, he might just be unconscious!” But the vet remains firm - the duck is dead.
Equally adamant, the lady insists that the vet do some tests to be absolutely sure. So the vet brings in a Labrador which sniffs the duck all over. The Lab gives the vet a soulful look and hangs his head.
The vet then brings in a cat who sniffs the duck from top to bottom and front to back. The cat also give the Vet a sad look and wanders off.
The vet turns to the lady and says “I’m very sorry, but as I said your duck is dead” and proceeds to print out an invoice for R850.00.
Horrified at the amount the woman yells “R850 to tell me that my duck is dead!”.
“I’m sorry madam” replies the vet “if you had taken my word for it, it would have cost you R50 but you insisted I carry out some tests, so the additional R800 is for the Lab Report and the Cat Scan”
Yes, I laughed till I thought I would wet myself, but this is the country, and country folk have been known to do crazy things, and city folk that have just moved to the country can be even crazier! A new Drumblade resident was adamant that the songolola (about 5cms long) in her swimming pool was a rinkhals! And a newcomer to Apple Orchards thought she could ‘buy’ an owl to control her rat problem! Yeah … right. The De Deur Flea Market might be renowned for being able to find anything and everything, but even they would not have a stall selling owls trained to catch the rats on your property only!
Letterbox
Letters will be published provided a name and address is supplied. You may use a nom de plume if you wish. Letters that are too scathing or controversial will be printed with a reply from the second party. The Editors may edit material if necessary. Write to Box 861 Walkerville 1876, or e-mail info@walkervillesa.co.za.
Dear Editor
Due to unforeseen circumstances that were beyond our control we have had to close our doors. Thank you to all the wonderful people of Walkerville for their support and loyalty both while we were open, and during the difficult time that followed, it was hugely appreciated.
Home Grounds Coffee Shop
Dear HG,
We wish you every success with whatever new venture you decide to tackle.
Dear Editor,
I am sitting at a friend’s house, while she has gone to visit her son in hospital after he was shot in a hijacking attempt. I was thinking of Dr Bert, and wanting to say to him if I was Queen Elizabeth and Walkerville was in the UK, I would Knight him ... for what he has done for all of us at some point. I think everyone has a story to tell of this special man and it would be lovely if there was a writer in Walkerville who can take up the challenge who has the time to listen to all our special stories and write a book so that we could all share the joys and pains that he has had a hand in. If somebody can pull it off maybe the sales or profit of this could go into a fund to do some good in our area, what do you think? Thanks Bert, What would we do without YOU!!!
HDP - Apple Orchards
Dear HDP,
He is indeed a very special Doctor to many of us.
Dear Editor,
Please print my letter to Council so that anyone else with a similar problem can also take them to task. Dear Sirs, Please note the date of the previous correspondence to you which has not yet been responded to. No one at Midvaal Council has had the courtesy to acknowledged the contents of the mail, nor take any action to remedy the problem. I am a fully paid up rate payer, resident in the area for 20years, and your service delivery and lack thereof is appalling. Please advise as soon as possible what you intend to do to deal with the problem before the start of the rainy season. At the beginning of the rain season, in October last year, I raised the following problem with Engineering Services in Highbury, in that due to work done by Midvaal Engineers on the road and verge outside my house. Everytime it rained, all the excess water would pour into my property. No action was taken and I complained again in December. In January of this year I had two site inspections by engineers from the Council, who admitted there was a problem. Since then there has been no action and in the meantime we have had abnormal rainfall and my property now is totally under water with a minimum amount of rain as the ground cannot take any more water. I have also suffered severe damage to my electric gate circuits, which has resulted in a heavy expense for repairs. It would be much appreciated if this matter could be dealt with at your very earliest convenience.
J W – Ironsyde
Dear JW,
Hope you get this resolved before the first summer rains appear!
Die Boeretroos Hoekie deur John Stephens
Dag Mense. Sjoe maar die jaar vlieg met ‘n spoed verby. Hier staan ons alweer in Augustusmaand en dit was nou die dag nog Januarie!
Laas het ek nog gepraat van die Hartzenbergfontein-Kamffers en van die ontdekking wat ek gedoen het toe ek in Louis Kamfer se Familiegeskiedenis agterkom dat ons almal maar van dieselfde boom afstam. Ek het beloof om hierdie keer meer oor die Kamffers van Hartzenbergfontein te sê.
Prof. Louis Kamfer skryf in sy boek: “In 1859 het Hendrik Balthazer Greyling 3422 morg grond in die huidige Walkerville-gebied van die Voortrekker-eienaar daarvan gekoop en op 11 Desember 1861 oordrag ontvang. Na sy dood in 1879 het sy vrou, Anna, die plaas tussen haarself en hul nege kinders onderverdeel. Hul dogter, Aletta Maria Gertiena Greyling, gebore 1 November 1860 en oorlede 28 Desember 1944, het met Christoffel Johannes Kamffer, gebore 6 September 1858 en oorlede 1 Februarie 1931, getrou.”
Onthou julle dat dit die grafte is waarna ek so ‘n tydjie terug verwys het. Die grafte lê in ‘n klein begraafplasie net langs die Laerskool Aloeridge. Hierdie ontdekking is deur Julius en Judith Kunzman gedoen. Dis ook hierdie graf van Christoffel Johannes Kamffer wat my aan my Oupagrootjie, Christoffel Johannes Campher van Kommandodrift, laat dink het. Wat op daardie stadium vir my ‘n raaisel was, is opgeklaar in die boek van Louis Kamfer. Hierdie twee het albei die familienaam en alhoewel die van verskillend gespel word, is albei familie. Ons almal se oergrootjie is Lourens Campher, die eerste Campher in Suid-Afrika.
Hoe het Lourens dan sy van gespel? Wie kan sê? Lourens was ongeletterd en het sy naam met ‘n kruisie aangedui. Ons van is dus gespel soos die persoon wat dit moes neerskryf dit gesien of gehoor het. Soms Campher, soms Kamfer, soms Kamffer. Maar ons is almal familie.
En langs Christoffel en Aletta, op Hartzenbergfontein, is die monumentjie van een van hulle seuns, Willem, wat op 18 jaar oud in die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog by Houtenbeek, naby Bloemfontein, gesneuwel het. Sy ander broer, Hendrik, wat twee jaar ouer was, het hom onderskei in daardie oorlog en later in die Rebellie van 1914 en het afgetree as die ontvanger van die Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst. By sy aftrede was hy ‘n Kolonel in die Unie Verdedigingsmag.
Hendrik Jacobus Kamffer trou met Alida Maria Laubscher op 26 Augustus 1902, die dogter van Maria Susanna Weilbach. Hierdie huwelik is baie geseënd. Hulle het twaalf kinders in die lewe gebring. Hierdie kinders is klaarblyklik hier op Hartzenbergfontein gebore. Hy sterf egter in La Rochelle, Johannesburg op 25 Augustus 1952, net een dag voordat hy en sy vrou hul 50ste huwelik kon herdenk. Sy sterf op 30 Desember 1960.
Die geskiedenis van die Kamffers van Walkerville, of te wel Hartzenbergfontein, is lank nog nie klaar vertel nie.
By ‘n volgende geleentheid gesels ons DV verder.
Dog Poisoning Alert
From Henley to Drumblade, we have received reports of dog poisoning with the dreaded ‘Two Step’. So please be on the alert and make sure you have a supply of powdered charcoal in the cupboard (available from vets and pet shops) If you suspect your animal has been poisoned mix some of the charcoal with a little water and some oil and get as much as you can down the animal. You will still need to see a vet as quickly as possible but this remedy will buy you some time.
Bits & Pieces
You are never to old to own a Teddy Bear
Especially one that has been specially made and dressed for you! From Biker to ballerina Bear, the Bear Studio can make them all. See advert on page 7 for details.
Lady’s Coffee Club
The Coffee Club has moved to the Walkerville Showgrounds. Ladies of all ages meet on the first Tuesday of every month to network and share ideas. Contact Heather on 083 525 2773 for details.
Thorntree Conservancy’s Annual Country Fair
Thorntree Conservancy will be hosting their Annual Country Fair at the Walkerville Showground's on Sunday 7th November. Stalls only R100 - Contact Louise - 083 299 0958 or louiseb@fenya.co.za.
Walkerville Farmer’s Market
On Saturday the 4th of September — over 100 stands selling the best fresh and organic produce, handmade arts and crafts, lots of children’s activities, musicians and entertainers. For more info contact Steve on 082 627 3134 or book your stall direct via the website www.wfmarket.co.za
Canterbury’s Comedy Night
Friday 10th September 19h30 R100.00 per person including a meal, hilarious line up. Confirm your table now – 011 949.1343 or tickets available from the bar.
Walkerville Land Lines
The businesses along the main road are currently without land lines (due to cable theft) and it might take a while to get them back on line so please call the cell numbers.
Conservation Corner by Ivan Parkes
Any questions you have about conservation and local wildlife may be e-mailed to ivan@thorntree.co.za and we will do our best to find the answer for you.
Help save the planet in 10 easy steps
By following a few simple gardening practices, you can create a beautiful, eco-friendly garden ... and do your bit for the environment.
Step 1: Enrich your soil.
A true eco-friendly garden has a good soil enriched with plenty of compost or decomposed manure. This ensures that the soil retains more water, that plants have sufficient nutrients, and it provides food for beneficial soil micro-organisms. Healthy soil means healthy plants which are more able to resist pests and diseases, therefore negating the need for you to use sprays.
Step 2: Go organic
Use eco-friendly products, such as organic insecticide sprays and fertilisers, in your gardens. Only use chemical pesticides when there is a large infestation, and only spray the infected plants. Try to maintain the natural balance in your garden between predators and prey - by killing everything you will drive away not only the pests, but also the beneficial insects, such as ladybugs and spiders, that feed upon those pests.
Step 3: Encourage biodiversity
Try to provide habitats for a wide range of wildlife. Provide drinking water in the form of a birdbath or small pond, which will attract a variety of birds, frogs and insects. You can even make it larger by creating a bog garden, which will attract a wider range of animal life.
Food can be provided in the form of indigenous plants that supply berries, seeds or nectar. For nectar, plant Cape honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis), proteas and the tree fuchsia (Halleria lucida); for berries plant the dune current (Allophylus natalensis); and for seeds plant grasses such as the broad-leaf bristle grass (Setaria megaphylla).
Step 4: Control invasive plants
Our natural ecosystem is under threat from plants which have been brought in from foreign countries. These plants now threaten take over our natural indigenous vegetation. Get to know those plants that have been declared alien invaders in your region and remove them or refrain from planting them.
Step 5: Consider your climate
Plant only those species that will thrive in your climate. By filling your garden with indigenous plants that are local to your area, you will be able to cut down on watering and maintenance as they are equipped to deal with local weather patterns.
Step 6: Mulch
Mulch keeps the soil temperature constant, shielding plants from temperature extremes, and it helps to retain moisture in the soil.
Step 7: Create a compost heap
Convert all your kitchen waste and garden clippings into re-useable organic compost. This will help you to enrich your soil, and reduce the amount of waste lying in our landfill sites.
Step 8: See the light
Save energy by using solar powered lights in your garden. There is a wide range of attractive options now available.
Step 9: Conserve water
Save water by turning off your irrigation system when it rains, or by fitting a water wise drip irrigation system, which directs water directly to the plants’ roots. Avoid irrigating on windy days or in the midday heat to curb water loss via evaporation.
Step 10: Harvest your water
Consider installing a rainwater tank to capture water. Alternatively, channel water from downpipes, swimming pools, pathways and driveways directly to where it is needed. You can do this by angling the paving to slope so that rainwater flows into adjoining beds, by constructing swales (mini humps) to redirect rain water to where you want it to go, or by creating gaps in the curbing at selected spots to allow water to run into the garden.
Crime Watch by Rob Jones
Each month as I go to the various Sector Policing Forums, Community Watches etc, I notice the difference in what is officially reported, and what the community reports. The interesting thing is that the official reports are the more serious crimes, and usually reported as a result of insurance requirements.
However the incidents that the community reports at these meetings are what can be used to prevent the more serious crimes. For instance Dog Poising, Cut Fences, people riding around the neighborhoods asking questions (usually posing as Eskom, Meter Readers, Telkom etc) indicate a crime to be committed.
In order to reduce these incidents, we need to be aware or our surroundings, and the activities if any strangers in the area. Valley Settlements 4, Drumblade and Golf Park (Meyerton) was plagued with Dog Poising in August, Walkers Fruit Farms, fences being cut, and strangers asking locals for various bits of information. This tells us BE ALLERT AT ALL TIMES.
At one of our Operations, we were called out to the Commons, as there were people with Hunting Dogs hunting Jackal. They claimed that they did not realize it was against the Law to hunt. (I had the same story from the same person last year; he had forgotten that we also stopped him then) Our wild life resources are at risk, do not let these hunters eliminate the little we have left.
I also spoke to some school children, who told me that their father took them to Drumblade to gather Eagle Owl Eggs. This is a concern, as we are trying to preserve these owls.
Fruit Farms Block Watch members have been very active; doing foot patrols in the nearby hills, noting all areas of concern, footpaths etc. More members are being equipped with radios, and joining.
Our De Deur Victim Empowerment centre is now well equipped, with community members being trained to do Counseling. Meyerton and Klipriver are in the planning stages, and should soon start equipping their centers.
At all times, look out for your neighbor, he may be the one person that can prevent you becoming a victim of crime.
Down Country Roads by Louise Southey
The Fire
The little duiker raised her head and nervously sniffed the air… Those who lived in the valley were always wary when the wind carried the acrid smell of smoke to them. But today it was far away. There were men and machines gathered around it, they were eating. She continued pawing the ground to loosen the tufts of tough veld grass. The summer rains had been good and grazing had been plentiful but many nights of severe cold had rendered the once-sweet grass to brittle, tasteless spikes. Her lamb drank contentedly as she nibbled at the roots she had pried from the hard earth.
After a time, the men left their fire and moved on in their machines. It burned harmlessly until a sudden shift in the wind steered the little flames northwards. They continued to burn slowly until they reached the long grass. Then the flames morphed into giants and began greedily devouring the summer’s long grass. Soon the burning wall spread sideways and marched inexorably towards their valley! With the roar of flames in their ears, the animals moved towards the little stream that was the lowest point in their valley. Tall blue gums shaded its banks even in the winter, keeping them damp and cool. They would be safe here.
The duikers moved too and encountered the jackal family. The female had birthed her two pups in a rocky hollow late in the summer but was now without her mate. His rotting carcass lay on a path higher up on the hill. She had answered his distressed yipping but was unable to free him. For days she brought as much food as she could but her meager catches were not enough to sustain her, the pups and her injured mate. When the men who had placed the snare on the path eventually came to check their handiwork they were angry to find that their catch was ‘not fit to eat.’ They laughed as the little jackal strained to break the wire around his swollen foot – and left him to his fate…
Now predators and prey huddled together beside the stream as the flames flowed down its banks. The long grass caused a wind draught that pushed upwards and soon the bare branches of the ancient poplars were waving fiery arms towards the sky. Mice and other small creatures burrowed under the leafy carpet left by the poplars. Others tried to escape the furnace by running along the stream bed - but their path was blocked by the tumble of rocks the men had placed across it. Although the stream still trickled under the rocks the steep, uneven pile was impossible to cross. The terrified animals turned and ran back the way they had come, crashing into those behind them. A hare bolted up the banks and through the fire, its flaming winter coat trailing sparks which lit the tinder as it ran ahead of the main fire.
When one of the big blue gums crashed in a heap of burning debris next to her, the little duiker panicked and fled, urging her lamb to follow. They crossed the stream and ran east towards the farmer’s house where the flames were not so high. The grass had been cut here but still she scalded her delicate feet and singed the long tuft of hair on the top of her head that characterized her kind. The barking of the farmer’s dogs finally brought her to a stop – she stood rooted between flames and the dogs and her heaving flanks could go no further. The little duiker collapsed.
She woke when it was dark and found herself inexplicably near the stream. The night sounds were absent and the valley was blanketed in an eerie silence, the smell of smoke and singed flesh pervaded everything. With some effort she stood up and limped to the water’s edge and plunged her nose into it. The taste was bitter but she drank thirstily and lay down again. In the morning she set off back the way she had run and began looking for her lamb. Twice she passed the blackened little heap that marked his remains. It neither looked nor smelled like her offspring so she continued searching. His little body was so badly charred that even the scavenging crows could not feed on it. A group of herons had arrived and were picking their elegant way across the black landscape, enjoying the bounty left by the fire.
But for the duiker and other browsers, food was nowhere to be found. The dark branches were now devoid of leaves and the desiccated roots no longer held any nourishment. Already weakened by fatigue and fear, she returned to the stream. Her mate too was gone - he had left her early in the winter. Heavy with lamb, she had not followed him across the broad black strip that separated their valley from a field of new earth from which sprouted tender grass. He did not return.
The smell of that same grass in her nostrils woke her the next morning – a small heap of it lay right in front of her! Gratefully, she began to feed. The growl of an engine made her retreat into the blackened undergrowth to observe the men she knew always came with that sound. As the noise of men and machines moved down along the stream, she saw strange bundles being tossed in their wake. The hares approached first and were soon tugging tufts of grass out of the square bundles. The farmer had not moved off with the other men but stood watching them for a while. Then smiled and slowly walked back towards his home. He had done what he could. Now only the rains could save the survivors of the valley….
Duiker feed primarily on leaves, buds, seeds, fruit and bark, they also will eat protein given the opportunity (they have been observed stalking and eating small rodents) if you would like to put food out for them.