South African government issues first seizure order on farm

October 14, 2005

The government of South Africa has issued its first expropriation order on a farm in the North West Province.

Hannes Visser's family bought Leeuw-spruit Farm in Lichtenburg, in 1968. Until 1939, the farm had been owned by Abram Molamu. Mr Molamu's descendants successfully appealed to the Land Claims Court for return of the farm.

Mr Visser and the Land Claims Commission were unable to come to a mutually acceptable resolution.