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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
A SOUTH African magistrate has thrown away assault and kidnap charges made by Zimbabwean farm workers against a Limpopo farmer who was also allegedly underpaying them for the last 10 years.

Van der Walt, the proprietor of Johannesburg Farm in Lephalale area and nine other top managers were dragged to court for assault and kidnapping of the Zimbabweans, but was freed after witnesses failed to show up several times at the courts.

Department of labour spokesperson for Limpopo province, Miss Lerato Makomene, confirmed the development.

She said Van der Walt had also been separately charged by the department of Home Affairs for employing illegal immigrants.

“The department of labour had also filed another charge of labour exploitation but our case is now weak since the court has thrown out the case.
“Our hands are tied. There is nothing more we can do at law,” said Miss Makomene.

She said the farmer was accused of forcing Zimbabweans to work from 6AM to 11PM and paying them R70 instead of the Government stipulated R103 for an eight-hour shift per day.

“We tried to bring him to the round table without success and hence we had to resort to legal action,” she said.

The expelled workers’ spokesperson, Mr Thembani Ndlovu, who is a former foreman at the farm, could not be reached for comment yesterday.