Rose Gudlhuza, the ID Provincial Chairperson for Gauteng, wants the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) to investigate the alleged friendship between a Vaal magistrate and a farmer, which allegedly led to the farmer’s release from jail without a formal bail hearing.

Her comments come after a Meyerton farmer in the Vaal, Derick James Steyn, was released from custody without a formal bail hearing despite having been charged twice for the same offence. It is alleged that Steyn terrorised a black community near his farm and assaulted his domestic worker for leaving him for another farmer in the area.

‘We in the Independent Democrats believe that if this allegation is true and this is a case where a magistrate has dished out favours to a friend who was accused of a despicable crime, then action must be taken after a full investigation by the NPA,’ Ms Gudlhuza says.

‘Racism-related incidents on farms involving farmers like Steyn, the allegations against whom are serious, have no place in South Africa. As a nation we need to stand up and root out racism as forcefully as possible.

‘The ID will stand up against anyone that abuses workers and we believe that government should do more to enforce the rights of farm workers in particular, as they are often an impoverished and forgotten sector of the workforce.’

For media enquiries, please call Sibongile Maputi, ID Gauteng Media Officer, on 083 284 0646