Van Rhynsdorp Police, IPID and Human Rights Commission Remain Silent on Repeated Complaints
CCN Editor – George April
MATZIKAMA:- Van Rhynsdorp residents are once again raising the alarm over what they describe as unlawful evictions of farm workers, with local police allegedly refusing to open cases or intervene.
Time for President Ramaphosa to Fulfil His Promise – Rule of Law Must Apply to All South Africans
According to the latest complaint received by CCNews, a group of farm workers was summarily evicted on 26 March 2026 after one worker’s child allegedly drew a line on a wall with a crayon. The workers were ordered to remove their belongings immediately while the farmer stood by and locked the houses behind them. The workers were paid their wages, but they were left without housing.
When the matter was reported to the Van Rhynsdorp Police Station, officers reportedly told the complainants that it was “not their work” and directed them to the Department of Labour instead.
This is not an isolated incident. For years, CCNews has documented multiple complaints from the Van Rhynsdorp and Matzikama area involving alleged police inaction on farm-related matters, including evictions and assaults. Despite numerous formal submissions to the South African Police Service, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), and the South African Human Rights Commission, most complaints appear to have received no meaningful response or investigation.
Serious questions now need to be answered:
- Why do police stations in certain rural areas repeatedly refuse to open cases involving alleged unlawful evictions under the Extension of Security of Tenure Act (ESTA), even when clear criminal elements are present?
- Is the rule of law being selectively applied in parts of the Western Cape?
- Why have repeated complaints to IPID and the Human Rights Commission resulted in silence rather than action?
- What steps will President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Minister of Police take to ensure that rural and farm communities receive the same constitutional protection as every other South African?
The Constitution guarantees equal protection and the right to housing security for all citizens. When vulnerable farm workers are evicted without following legal processes and the police decline to act, it raises fundamental concerns about the state’s commitment to upholding the law in every corner of the country.
The people of Van Rhynsdorp deserve more than referrals and silence. They deserve accountability and justice.
CCNews will continue to monitor this situation and calls on the highest authorities to intervene and provide clear answers.
