THE farming community of Mamphoku Makgoba, near Rustenburg, is pleased a long-running battle over the control of its farms has finally been settled.

The community has been fighting to gain control of 39 farms it won through the land restitution programme from a trust whose members were refusing to leave office.

The farms are said to be worth more than R120m and they bring in income of about R89m a year from rentals and lease payments.

However, residents complained that they were no longer benefiting after a community trust, established in 2004, was clinging on to power.

The community approached the courts and on Tuesday, the North Gauteng High Court ordered all members of the trust to resign and pave the way for new elections in 30 days.

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