Bondelswarts reply on farm attack

HONOURABLE TRADITIONAL COUNCILLOR MRS. SARA BOCK WRITES:

Response on the article "Polisie help nie toe boer aangeval word" in the Republikein newspaper, dated 29th November 2017.

I, Mrs. Sara Bock is the responsible Bondelswarts Traditional Councillor in the area where the incident occurred.

Therefore allow me to give some background to the article in your newspaper about the incident that occurred at Gründorn Flushe on Saturday 25th November 2017 at about 19:35.

Mr. Engelbrecht mention in the article about the differences and factions in the Bondelswarts Traditional Authority. I would like to inform you about the factions formulated or instigated by him and his elites, to bring division in the Bondelswarts Traditional Authority.

Mr. Engelbrecht was appointed as the late acting Chief's senior Councillor: Hon. Joseph Christiaan and he was nominated to represent the Bondelswarts Traditional Authority without the endorsement or acknowledgement of the current Traditional Councillors in Gibeon district on the Hardap Regional Land Board.

The Traditional Councillors are not happy with his appointment on the Land Board. The handling of applications by the Land Board are not in a proper manner and he does not report back to the Traditional Authority (TA) Councillors in Gibeon. There is no communication between Mr. Engelbrecht and the Government recognized Councillors at the Gibeon office.

Communities apply for customary land rights at Gründorn Flushe, but Mr. Engelbrecht always reject the applications of applicants.

The following people have applied for land rights at Gründorn Flushe and their applications got lost from the Hardap Land Board office in Mariental and they are as follow:

Miss. Lintrudi L. Bock

Mrs. Shemantha S. Modzivire

Mrs. Frances Fredrika Basson

Mr. Clarence Rodger Basson

Mr. Engelbrecht doesn't allow other community members to apply for land at Gründorn Flushe, he only wants his family at Gründorn Flushe nr. 342. Well, the farm is 19 864 hectares big and its carrying capacity is 3 310. He has only a portion of the 19 864 hectares at the home state. There are eleven (11) households farming currently at Gründorn Flushe nr. 342.

There are people who have applied for emergency grazing with the four (4) Government recognized Traditional Councillors at the Gibeon office, and they were granted emergency grazing permission by the TA Councillors. Mr. Engelbrecht is not happy with it and he always questions people about their presence at Gründorn Flushe.

Mr. Engelbrecht never attend Council meetings in Gibeon with the other TA Councillors and he never give feedback to the TA Councillors in Gibeon about the Land Board ­meetings. Mr. Engelbrecht only communicates with Senior Councillor Hans Josop in //Kharas Region and gives Land Board meetings feedback to TA Councillors in Karasburg, which is totally wrong and unacceptable.

The unprofessional behaviour of Mr. Engelbrecht has created this unexpected incident at Gründorn Flushe.

I am very disappointed and not happy with the current situation at Gründorn Flushe as a leader of the community and as a TA Councillor responsible for the Gründorn Flushe area. I really don't want this kind of human conflicts in the Bondelswarts jurisdiction areas and I pray for peace and stability amongst our people and specially the farmers at large in the district of Gibeon.

My humble and friendly request to Mr. Engelbrecht is to resign from the TA and concentrate on his farm and other activities or responsibilities.

Thank you.