Maele threatens to evict Gabane farmers
Friday, July 17, 2015

Kgosi Seeletso Pule Pic Kabo Mpaetona
Addressing a fully-packed Kgotla meeting yesterday, he said that the government has the authority to take their land from them even without their consent.
“I heard that some of you are refusing to hand over their farms to the Land Board authorities. But you need to understand that there is a law that allows us to take the land without your authorisation. We will use those powers to take those farms from you,” said Maele This came after the Village Development Committee (VDC) representative Otlaadisa Manthe said that Mogoditshane Land Board has threatened that if they did not hand in their farms, they would take them to court.
Instead, it has sparked a storm of accusations, denials, and unresolved questions about the influence of De Beers on the nation’s politics. Former president Mokgweetsi Masisi’s claims that the diamond giants bankrolled his removal to dodge taxes – and that the new Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government watered down a favourable diamond deal – are explosive matters. But without evidence, they risk becoming a toxic distraction from...