SA farmers did not steal land - union

Johannesburg - Farmers in South Africa do not owe anyone an apology for owning land, because it was legally obtained, farmer union TAU-SA said on Thursday.

"None of our members nor other farmers in the country stole their land," TAU-SA president Louis Meintjes said in a statement.

"We obtained our title deeds legally and therefore we do not owe anybody an apology for owning and cultivating our land for the benefit of the whole country."

Meintjes said the union adopted a resolution on Thursday at its annual general congress in Pretoria, that anyone claiming to have any rights on land should submit documented evidence.

"Any claimants to land are challenged to submit documented evidence so that such claims could be evaluated by experts and historians in accordance to international guidelines and practices," Meintjes said.

Other matters raised at the congress included the necessity of urgent attention to the quality of water.

Meintjes said legal action should be considered against the state which was the country's custodian of water.

He said the state was failing to maintain healthy standards.