AGRICULTURAL NEWS - This is often unfair, according to Peter de Wet, owner of Excelsior Wine Estate near Ashton in Langeberg. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his own experience of this issue, and his views on worker housing.
Excelsior Wine Estate recently received negative publicity after attempting evictions from farm dwellings.
What exactly happened?
We verbally informed two sisters, Josina and Miriam Gova, that they had to look for alternative lodgings.
They used to live with their mother, Emily, who passed away more than two months before we had this talk.
Emily’s right of tenure had already been controversial, as she was never a full-time employee.
Her right of tenure was based on her husband, who passed away more than 30 years ago after having worked on the farm.
We granted her accommodation because we felt it was the right thing to do.
This was long before the Extension of Security of Tenure Act [Esta] came along.
