Two farmers whose properties were named in the unverified list published by AfriForum have detailed how the controversy has led to millions of rands in possible losses.

Both Louis Hauman and Ferdie Klopper were in the process of selling their hectares of land before the list was published. Hauman, who is a cattle farmer in Kuruman, Northern Cape, had two potential buyers for his 6,000-hectare property.

However, when the list was released, the buyers caught wind of it and pulled out of the deal. Hauman could only describe this moment as:

“Afriforum caused me a lot of damage.”

Klopper is a farmer from Kroonstad, in the Free State. However, since the list was released, people have been reluctant to come forward and he too believes that the list has damaged his ambitions to profit from the sale of his property.

He added that

“my farm, and possibly those of my neighbours too, is now a target. I will struggle to sell the farm on the open market.”

The backlash received by AfriForum after the controversial list

This is true. Since the farms have been named in the ‘expropriation list‘, the only realistic buyer would be the state. It is not ideal because that means that the land would not be purchased at the market-related price.

Ernst Roets, who is the deputy CEO at AfriForum, remains adamant that their actions were necessary and made in the interest of the public.

According to his sources, the list is an official document that has been floating about at the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.

The South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR), as well as the Transvaal Agricultural Union (TAU), share the same sentiment with AfriForum about the validity of the list.

However, AgriSA has criticised Afriforum’s actions, labelling their behaviour as irresponsible. Besides the fact that the information brandished in the document may not be true, farmers will most likely have to compromise on the true value of their property should they wish to sell it.

How the farms named in AfriForum’s list lost their market-value

For instance, Hauman, whose farm has been around since 1943, claims that his farm is valued at about R35m, including movable assets.

Unfortunately, since the farm has been included in the list of farms set to be expropriated without compensation, not only does the value of the property become compromised, nobody will come forward to purchase it.

Hauman could not withhold his disappointment with AfriForum’s actions:

“I’ve put my life’s work into this farm and it feels like there’s nothing left. If AfriForum had called me before they published the list, I would have advised them to be more responsible than they were. I would have told them to try and get some more information because the consequences could be catastrophic.”

Klopper, who also experienced the same disappointment as Hauman did, stated that

“my farm’s value is now lower than what it used to be… this has caused me damage and the property is now branded (as a target of expropriation without compensation).”

Roets confirmed that after engaging with the two farmers, he realised that they were more so anxious about the cloud that hangs over the topic of expropriation, more than anything. His response to their frustrations?