Following years of unlawful occupation, weak enforcement and failed interventions at Knoflokskraal, in the Western Cape, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has outlined a clear, structured plan to address the issue.

In a media briefing on April 7, he pointed out that the land, which was initially earmarked for forestry purposes, was first unlawfully occupied in 2020 and has since grown into an unsanctioned large-scale settlement on State-owned land with about 4 000 structures and about 15 000 to 20 000 residents occupying the space.

While there were attempts during the sixth Administration to engage with the Knoflokskraal community and its various leadership structures, with the aim of finding a workable solution, Macpherson said the implementation of actions was lacking.  

“While there were processes, there were not enough outcomes and while the State was talking, the occupation was growing rapidly.”

He pointed out that, while containment orders were granted in 2021 by the Western Cape High Court for three of the six farms that make up Knoflokskraal, the orders were not enforced with the consistency, urgency and coordination required to give effect to them.

“The legal authority existed, but the sustained implementation and political will to deal with this did not.”

Additionally, Macpherson noted that, despite repeated engagements with members of the community and various leadership structures, the engagements did not translate into concrete and durable action on the ground.

“Instead, progress was stalled, the occupation deepened and the rule of law was overlooked.”

He said the consequences of that failure became increasingly serious, noting that, by 2022 and 2023, the occupation had spread significantly, causing damage to land earmarked for forestry and undermining the original purpose for which the property had been set aside.

He added that, in some places, the land has become unsalvageable for future forestry purposes, with irreversible damage done to plantations, while the occupation has spread across multiple properties.

The Minister also acknowledged that there was a lack of alignment between the departments of Public Works and Infrastructure, Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), as well as the South African Police Service (SAPS) and local government.

“There was no single authority clearly driving implementation and accountability and decision-making was far too slow. Law enforcement responses were also far too weak.”

Macpherson also pointed out that the N2 highway was also repeatedly disrupted by protests linked to the occupation.

Additionally, the local municipality faced severe financial and capacity constraints owing to the requirement to provide basic services and electricity at a cost of R11-million a year.

Moreover, the Minister noted allegations of criminal activity on the site, including illicit drug activity, illegal land sales, intimidation and organised operations.

“And what is even more concerning is not only the nature of these allegations, but the lack of progress in addressing them. Cases have been opened, but cases without consequence do not restore the rule of law,” he said.

Macpherson said the current administration had written to Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to request a comprehensive update on investigations linked to Knoflokskraal.

NEXT STEPS

Before taking further steps, Macpherson noted that government made an “extraordinary” attempt to resolve the issue through engagement.

He explained that, following a multi-stakeholder engagement in August 2025, the government took a deliberate decision to engage directly with the established leadership structures in the community through the Knoflokskraal Community Task Team in pursuit of a negotiated solution that would allow containment and social facilitation to proceed in a structured and lawful way.

He noted that a bilateral meeting was convened on October 24, 2025, adding that those engagements resulted in an in-principle agreement to enter into a social compact agreement, through a letter dated December 5.

However, he said the agreement was not honoured.

“Instead of moving the process forward, it introduced objections and demands that made implementation impossible.

“In effect, government negotiated in good faith, reached an understanding in good faith, and then found that the other side had reneged on that understanding and agreement.”

Moving forward, Macpherson said, the government would now implement a coordinated response centred on containment, social facilitation, direct community engagement and strengthened law enforcement to reassert control over State-owned land.

He clarified that containment does not mean eviction, but rather the act of restoring order to a site that has been allowed to expand in an uncontrolled manner, describing the process as a “prerequisite for any meaningful intervention”.

Regarding community engagement, Macpherson said residents would be invited to share how they came to live at Knoflokskraal, how they would like to be engaged, and what they know about alleged corruption, illegal land sales and intimidation.

The feedback process is intended to begin in May.

Also speaking during the briefing, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and Western Cape Provincial Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers expressed their support of the government’s plans.

“As the provincial government, we support you wholeheartedly,” Winde told Macpherson.