David Mlondobozi is one of dozens of smallholder farmers in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, who have lost their land and grazing rights to a large-scale citrus cultivation project backed by the Motsepe Foundation. (Photo: Bernard Chigvare)
David Mlondobozi is one of dozens of smallholder farmers in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, who have lost their land and grazing rights to a large-scale citrus growing project backed by the Motsepe Foundation.
Mlondobozi grows butternut squash, tomatoes, peppers and chillies on land allocated to him by Chief Mlungisi Ntsangwisi in 2004. He also set aside some land for his children, but that is now fenced off for the Majeje citrus project.
Mulondoboj fears tribal authorities will evict him from the rest of his land.
According to Farmers Weekly, Majeje Citrus Company was formed in 2021 as a partnership between Majeje Tribal Authorities, Komati Fruits and agricultural economist and business advisor Boera Brewer.
In 2022, the Motsepe Foundation announced it would partner with AgriSA to pump R30 million into the project. The plan was to create around 50 new full-time jobs and 300 seasonal jobs on the community's land adjacent to the existing successful Komati citrus plantation.
“With the support of AgriEnterprise and the Motsepe Foundation, communities will be able to develop land and participate in the cultivation of some of South Africa's most thriving agricultural commodities,” AgriSA said at the time.
In March 2024, Mlondoboj received a letter from the Voice of the Community bearing the stamp of the tribal authorities, accusing him of “not doing his job.” The letter stated that he could only use 17 hectares instead of the 50 hectares allocated to him, and ordered him to remove the fence within a week.
His house is just a stone's throw from his land, which has already been levelled, fenced and guarded at the gate, and when Ground Up visited last month the hum of mining machinery could be heard roaring deep in the bush.
“We are on the verge of losing our land,” Mulondoboj says.
Mopani Agricultural Association manager Mawewe Nkwashu said more than 100 farmers had already lost their grazing land.
“Farmers have lost their grazing land and their cattle are roaming in the bush. The farmers were allocated this land by the traditional council and we expect the original decision to be respected. It does not make sense for the same traditional council to again evict farmers to cultivate citrus. As an association, we are opposed to any form of eviction,” Nkwashu said. The association is already in a dispute with traditional authorities over another piece of land a few kilometres away.
To the west of the citrus project, cattle from Prieska village graze on land that has also seen the farmers from Kaksani and Nondwe lose their rights.
Johan Livon Mungwe, chairman of the Gravelotte, Ceroane and Priesca (GRASP) cooperative, is concerned that his members will lose their water rights to the project. The cooperative was established in 2012. Its members mainly grow vegetables. He said they have never been contacted about the citrus project.
“I believe chiefs and governments should have confidence in smallholder farmers to prove themselves,” Mungwe told Ground Up.
“I am willing to die fighting for this land because I once farmed it and made a living from it,” said Mulondoboj, who is also secretary-general of the GRASP cooperative.
“The Majeje Traditional Council and the Ministry of Agriculture should respect the views of smallholder farmers.”
GroundUp attempted to contact Komati Foods and the Motsepe Foundation to find out more about the citrus project and the possible eviction of smallholder farmers. Komati Group manager Robert Mabunda introduced us to his boss, who in turn introduced us to Brewer, who is said to be the project coordinator.
Brewer said he would not respond to GroundUp's previous article because it was inaccurate, but did not point out any errors. He then directed us to contact the Majeje Tribal Council. However, all attempts to contact Chief Ntsangwisi or his advisers were unsuccessful.
Melissa Anthony, from the Motsepe Foundation, told GroundUp they forwarded all questions to AgriSA as they had the information requested, but AgriSA also referred us to Brewer.
According to the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's provincial revenue and expenditure estimates for 2023, the Majeje tribal authority had applied for funding and was due to receive R12 million that year, the same amount in 2024/25 and R10 million in 2025/26.
In its 2023 annual report, the department said it had approved a funding request from the Majeje tribal authorities, and would cover 40% of the estimated R126 million development costs. By the end of March 2023, 78 hectares of citrus orchards had been secured, along with 102 hectares of irrigation and solar power generation costing R3.2 million, according to the department. Thirty-two workers have been employed, 15 of whom are full-time.
GroundUp contacted the ministry about farmers being displaced because of the project, but spokesperson Motose Motsepolongo referred us to the national agriculture ministry. We pointed out that it was Limpopo province that was funding the Majeje project, but she again referred us to the national agriculture ministry. On Friday, 12 July, we contacted Linda Page at the national agriculture ministry, but she did not respond to that WhatsApp message, nor to a follow-up message on 15 July.
This article was first published on GroundUp.