Garlic bead | Government intervenes to ‘restore law and order’

By Liezl Human, GroundUp

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure plans to approach the High Court in an attempt to stop Knoflokskraal near Grabouw, a fast-growing, self-proclaimed Khoisan settlement. This move comes after the government admitted that it has so far failed to maintain law and order in the area.

Dean Macpherson, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, confirmed this week that the department is finalizing its submission to the High Court in Cape Town.

The aim is to extend an existing containment order from 2021. According to Macpherson, the government tried to engage with the leadership of the land occupation, but they “could not restore order”.

“Public land cannot simply be given over to lawlessness and intimidation. The situation cannot continue,” said the minister.

The occupation began in 2020 during the covid pandemic with the aim of establishing a self-sustaining Khoisan community. Since then, things have gotten out of hand.

According to the department’s estimate, there are currently around 4,000 structures on 1,800 ha of land, with between 15,000 and 20,000 people living on Knoflokskraal. The occupation has already cost the department R41.4 million so far. There was no specific breakdown of the costs involved.

Macpherson says that despite the existing order, several businesses such as a restaurant, a flea market and even a guest house listed on a well-known accommodation platform have been developed in the settlement.

Law enforcement officers will also be deployed.

Macpherson says “criminal cases have been opened over a number of years, but progress has been limited and feedback insufficient”.

He confirmed that he had requested the Minister of Police to provide a “comprehensive update on investigations related to Knoflokskraal”.

According to Macpherson, the government has received allegations of criminality, including the harassment of officials, reports of shootings, illegal construction, abalone-related crime and allegations that the settlement is being used for smuggling drugs and weapons.

One of the most worrying aspects is the illegal sale of land and according to Macpherson, vulnerable people are being exploited.

“They may believe they are acquiring land, when in reality they are buying something that no one can legally sell. Land is sometimes offered for as much as R1 500 per site.”

The department plans a structured approach to uphold legislation after “repeated discussions” with the community did not lead to any concrete steps.

This involves, among other things, formal control of access points to Knoflokskraal, monitoring of movement through aerial surveys, profiling of residents, collection of socio-economic information and cooperation with the leadership.

The department also plans to distribute leaflets to residents at access points, so they can provide direct feedback on the situation, anonymously if necessary. He says this will help the government to distinguish between those who may be vulnerable and those who are exploiting the situation.

Lincoln de Bruyn, mayor of the Theewaterskloof municipality under which Knoflokskraal falls, says the issue is complex and puts enormous pressure on the municipality’s resources. The municipality provides water and garbage disposal services where possible due to the “immediate humanitarian needs that cannot be ignored”.

There are currently around 4,000 structures on 1,800 ha of land, with between 15,000 and 20,000 people living on Knoflokskraal. (Photo: Ashraf Hendricks/Maroela Media)

DA welcomes intervention

Tertuis Simmers, the DA leader in the Western Cape and provincial MEC for infrastructure, says the minister’s intervention is decisive.

“Since the settlement emerged in 2020 along the N2 between Grabouw and Bot River, it has been operating outside the law and the rapid expansion was clearly fueled by political groups before the local elections of 2021.”

The N2 is one of the Western Cape’s most important routes and over the years protest action has disrupted freight transport, emergency services and even the creation of jobs.

“Today we are faced with a problem where vulnerable people are being exploited, public land is being sold illegally and crime is increasing. The minister’s intervention is therefore crucial.”

According to Simmers, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure’s effort to restore law and order rests on three pillars.

“The first is containment. Knoflokskraal has several access points. To enforce stability, it is essential to monitor and control access to the settlement. Containment is not eviction; it is the restoration of order,” says Simmers.

The second pillar is social facilitation, which involves the department collecting information about who lives on Knoflokskraal, what their circumstances are and what the area looks like.

“This information enables the department to make informed and appropriate decisions,” explains Simmers.

The third pillar, direct community involvement, involves residents themselves being included in the process and not via intermediaries.

“This gives residents a voice and the department the opportunity to distinguish between the vulnerable and those who exploit the situation,” says Simmers.

However, Omar Sadien, chairman of the United Knoflokskraal Khoi council, says the residents of Knoflokskraal are not land grabbers, but consider themselves people who are taking their land back.

“I am demanding back on behalf of my people. Our discussions with the department were in good faith and are ongoing,” said Sadien.

According to him, allegations of crime in the area are exaggerated.

• This reported was originally posted by GroundUp and is used with permission.