Together Let Us Fight Hunger

by Cindy Easterday, Interim Companionship Facilitator

From 7-9 March, the members of the Sisonke Masilwe Indlala (Xhosa for Together let us fight hunger) Coordinating Committee met in King Wiliams Town, in the Eastern Cape. The Committee is made up of six individuals representing various groups, organisations, associations and churches from throughout the country. Their interest and focus is land issues – from those whose lives are affected by unlawful eviction from farms, to land appropriation, to the proper use of the land itself. This time the meeting was organized by Ray Magida, Coordinator of Land Justice for the Department of Social Responsibility (DSR) for the Anglican Diocese of Grahamstown, which covers a broad geographical area.

The Church as an Oppressor of the Land
Tony Schnell, Director of DSR, in his introduction to the background and current involvements of the DSR as they related to Land Justice, acknowledged that the Church historically has often been an oppressor of the land, either through control of land or its improper use. As a church DSR works with the community to help them discover their own process of development. Instead of just walking away, as many do, they participate in the community initiative to effectively develop what has been given them. Justice of and to the land – in action.

To break the cycle of dependency which the Church has been part of creating and sustaining over the years, a learning centre established in the community teaches permaculture (organic gardening and farming). One of the members of Sisonke’s network is not only a pastor but also a permaculturalist and represents a centre for sustainable development. As sharing his experience and expertise in the community is part of this venture, the linkage of land appropriation and the effective use of land are networked amongst the members themselves.

The DSR wants to share its experiences from the last 10 years of working on land issues, and write with others on partnership and preserving the dignity of people in the process of giving/transferring or selling land to a community of people.

One of Tony’s challenges to Sisonke was “to share the lessons”. As an ongoing learning process, these are “snapshots” along the way, he said. With time and the input and experiences of others a clearer picture can begin to emerge to guide others along a similar path.

“A man is not a man until he has a home he can call his own.”

Nelson Mandela

Land and Farm Workers
Mandela’s statement, made during his imprisonment on Robben Island, reflects the deep emotional link the people here have with the land and their need to be part of it and have it be a part of them. It’s so integrated into the intrinsic value of life for people, particularly since the vast majority have been denied these rights for so long under the apartheid regime, most even displaced from land of their ancestors with no right to return once they were “free” to.

The Plight of Farm Workers
The next morning, network members and invited guests from related government departments, NGO’s, and several evicted farm workers met at the DSR offices nearby. Patrick Sambo, Manager of the Farm Dweller Program of the Southern Cape Land Committee (SCLC), a network member committed to “a totally transformed society wherein justice, empowerment and equity prevail and where the environment is utilized without compromising future generations”, shared facts, figures and legislations in place around farm evictions and the rights of farm workers.

Facts

From 1984 – 1993, 1.8 million South Africans were displaced from farms; from 1994 – 2004, 2.3 million were displaced. Of all these, 40% were evicted legally.
Though it is usually the man who is the worker and therefore evicted, it affects his entire family, reflected in these percentages: children 49% (the most vulnerable); women 28%; men 23%.
Of those evicted, 83% say they have no means or access to support and don’t know where to go. Of these, 48% go to towns and poorer areas; 30% move to informal settlements; 14% are scattered in various homelands without help. Forced into new communities they have problems with housing, work, etc,

It was not until 1998 that farm workers were first protected by legislation.

"As I shared about focuses and involvements of the Lesotho and other networks I was aware of, it struck me that one of the members seemed surprised that there even could be other issues than land, so prominent and overshadowing is this concern to so many here."

Cindy Easterday

Challenges and a Way Forward
Representatives from the Departments of Land Affairs, Labor and Agriculture shared their challenges and difficulties in these matters including problems with the current land legislation and loopholes being used by land owners to their advantage; lack of sufficient staff and budget issues; the strength of organized farmers fighting these issues; difficulties in accessing workers; and lack of local police support.

Land Affairs also noted that the perception that it is always the white farmers evicting black workers is no longer valid as it is also black farmers doing the same to their black workers. So it is not a racial issue as much as a power struggle, she shared.

Suggestions for the way forward included: 1) the need for all of us to work together as we all share a common desire to help the poor; 2) to call the Church to become more involved; 3) to call on government for a moratorium on farm evictions and sales until resolutions and laws can be reviewed and not misused.

Displacement Stories of Farm Evictees
Time allowed for the sharing of stories by several invited farm evictees was short, but enough to see the hopelessness and pain it continues to bring to their lives. As we took a break after the meeting, several of these guests spoke to a Sisonke member to say, “Thank you for listening to us”, prompting thoughts that it could not simply end here.

To read a synopsis of the shared experiences, please click here >>>

“Today has started a process of awakening”

Sisonke Coordinating Committee Member

"Are we ready, knowing this path could bring greater challenges and opposition than we might have anticipated when we began? Are we willing?"

Cindy Easterday, reverberating sentiments expressed after the two-day event

A Way Forward for Sisonke Masilwe Indlala
With a mixture of perhaps awe and excitement, the realization came that this was the way forward and all we could do was trust that God was leading and guiding us and would give us the strength and courage when it was needed. It was acknowledging again that this is the Lord’s work, not the network’s, and that it is God who has brought together this unique group of committed individuals representing the many others in their organizations, whose hearts are lead by Him to accomplish what He has set before them.

Their resolutions are solid.

• To be part of a “Truth and Reconciliation” hearing or forum for farm workers, to hear their stories and begin to diffuse the anger that lies just below the surface. An anger that, allowed to grow, could escalate and be transformed into actions that must be avoided. Others involved would include the government departments the network has agreed to work with and support in their efforts to bring about healthy, helpful change.
• To review and revise land policies around land rights.
• To get churches involved.
• To consider the need for resource centers, places to inform people of their legal rights and where they can go to for support and help.
• To be part of a forum of stakeholders, a suggestion by the Department of Land Affairs, to work together toward needed changes.
  

What a privilege it was for me to have been invited and be part of this time with Sisonke! I not only learned a lot through the exposures they provided, but I left feeling greatly encouraged, excited about this group of people and what they bring both as individuals and as the organizations they represent to a cause they are fully and absolutely committed to. And, above all, their hearts for God and the passion he has placed in each one for this work they have been called to. Thank you all.

SAMP

by Susanne Carter and Ken Jones

In January 2007 the Coordinating Team for Joining Hands in the Presbytery of the Western Reserve re-named itself SAMP (South Africa Mission Partnership). Samp is one of South Africa’s staple foods, a coarse mixture of broken kernels of corn frequently cooked with beans. At present SAMP consists of 13 people, all but two of who have personal experience with the Joining Hands network in South Africa..

In addition to making presentations in churches interpreting the nature of our accompaniment with Sisonke Masilwe Indlala, members of SAMP will participate in two advocacy events in March: A Bread for the World Offering of Letters training workshop in Columbus, OH; and the annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference in Washington, DC. A particular focus now is the 2007 Farm Bill making its way through the U.S. Congress. It has the potential to improve rural communities, sustain and improve domestic nutrition programs, and help farmers in the U.S. and in developing countries to improve their lives.

Back to Archives >>>