Court rules against Stellenbosch farmer after locking out long-serving employee

THE Western Cape High Court has dismissed an appeal by a Stellenbosch farmer who attempted to challenge an interim court order restoring a long-serving farm worker's access to his house on the farm.

- SINENHLANHLA MASILELA [e-mail]

The court ruled that the appeal was premature and not legally competent because it sought to challenge an interim order that had not yet been finally decided.

The case involved Johannes van der Westhuizen, the appellant, and Koos Booysen, a farm worker who had been employed on Bonfoi Farm in Stellenbosch for about 40 years.

Booysen told the court that the farm owner had provided him with a house on the property as part of his employment benefits.

He lived there with his late wife and daughter. However, after being hospitalised due to a serious medical condition, Booysen temporarily stayed with relatives while attending followup medical treatment.