Zimbabwe -- War vets seize new farms

Financial Gazette (Zim) ^ | June 20, 2002 | Staff Reporter

[Clive]

BULAWAYO — Fresh farm occupations have surfaced on commercial farms in Nyamandlovu, with armies of suspected ruling ZANU PF supporters and their war veterans disrupting game hunts by foreign hunters, farming officials said yesterday.

The farm occupiers have taken Porta Farm, Sailor Jack Farm and Ladywell Farms — three prime properties with an assortment of game in Nyamandlovu, 60 km north of here — disrupting tourism activities in safari camps within the commercial farms.

"Today a Mr Amos Mkhwananzi and his family came to claim part of my farm together with another gentleman I presume to be from the Ministry of Youth as he was driving a government vehicle plate number GYD 25," Porta Farm owner Wally Herbst said yesterday.

Herbst, who doubles-up as the Matabeleland chairman of the Wildlife Society of Zimbabwe, said: "They (the invaders) have made themselves at home in my safari camp against my wishes and alas I have some clients coming from America for a hunt."

He said police had been informed of the farm occupation.

"We hope for some reaction from the police. If these people are not moved out, Zimbabwe will lose millions in hard currency this year because these people have vowed there will be no hunting on this farm and that the Ministry of Environment and Tourism has no right to issue permits to persons not Zimbabwean. My parents were both born here as was I," Herbst said.

When this reporter phoned the farm in Nyamandlovu yesterday morning, Mkhwananzi, the self-styled commander of farm occupations in the area, was reportedly visiting farms in Tsholotsho district, about 60 kms away, and not reachable.

Herbst said if he was prevented from hosting his clients booked at his safari camp, he was likely to lose about US$100 000.

"This will be a huge lose for just one farmer. Police should move them out, they have forced their way into my safari camp."

According to the commercial farmer, about 20 invaders have built a cattle kraal about 10 metres from one of the chalets in the safari camp within the property.

"I am expecting four hunters on July 2, four hunters in August, one in September and several tourists in October. I am fully booked for November and December. All these activities could seriously be affected by this new development," a worried Herbst said.

Brian Queri of Sailor Jack Farm said: "On June 14 2002, American clients were brought to the farm to hunt. After shooting one trophy, an eland bull, the war veterans informed my foreman that no one had the right to hunt and threatened to beat him and the game scouts if the hunting did not stop."

Meanwhile, Environment and Tourism permanent secretary Lucas Tavaya this week told parliamentarians at a pre-budget meeting in Harare that poaching on Matabeleland farms had reached alarming proportions.

Tavaya, who has just concluded a tour of the province, said: "After the farmers have been served with Section 8 orders, they move off the farm and the new owners are taking over both the land and the animals.

"I can tell you there is Christmas going on in these farms."

Tavaya said the poaching was no longer confined to locals but people from as far away as Bulawayo were driving to other areas in the province to kill game for resale in the city which, like most areas of Zimbabwe, is experiencing severe food shortages.

Tavaya said at one police station he passed through during his tour, he was shocked when officers there offered him roast game meat.

More than 50 percent of Zimbabwe’s wildlife has been decimated by poaching since the start of the government-encouraged farm invasions in February 2000. As a result, the country’s wildlife and tourism industry has lost more over $6 billion in revenue – or about two percent of Zimbabwe’s total domestic debt.

The fresh farm seizures coincide with belated efforts by the government to remove the invaders from land not targeted for acquisition by the government, which the invaders are resisting.

[Clive]

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[Eala]

"After the farmers have been served with Section 8 orders, they move off the farm and the new owners are taking over both the land and the animals.
"I can tell you there is Christmas going on in these farms."

It may be Christmas now, but Lent is coming.

[Dakmar]

Herbst, who doubles-up as the Matabeleland chairman of the Wildlife Society of Zimbabwe, said: "They (the invaders) have made themselves at home in my safari camp against my wishes and alas I have some clients coming from America for a hunt."

Hmmm.....nah!