Zim 'to take all white farms'

News24 ^ | Dec 15, 2004

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party's central committee apparently has decided to confiscate all remaining farms still owned by white farmers, reported the Zimbabwean website, Zimonline, on Monday.

About 500 farms out of the initial 4 500 are still in white hands.

The first farm to fall prey to this decision is that of well-known cricketer Dennis Streak, father of Heath, the former cricket captain.

This decision, which is discussed in a secret report of the Zanu-PF's central committee, clashes with a statement by President Robert Mugabe and his cabinet that the land-reform process in Zimbabwe has been completed.

The report reads: "The resolution, which sources in the party's inner circles believe will definitely be implemented in the next couple of months, will mean the 500 white farmers who have managed to retain their land until now will definitely lose it."

Granted permission to stay on

The Heath farm, near Bulawayo, was listed for a government takeover as long as two years ago, but the Streaks appealed against the decision.

They were granted permission to stay on the farm while waiting for the appeal decision to come through, but this week it became clear that the die had been cast and the family would have to move.

Streak was not available for comment on Tuesday, but his wife, Shona, confirmed the news.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's official inflation rate dropped to 149.3% last month, down from 209% in October, said the state central statistical office on Tuesday.

The new rate still leaves Zimbabwe with the highest inflation in the world.

[cyborg]

bump to that look into the history of how Cecil Rhodes treated white farmers who stood in his way.

[Dog Gone]

This problem rightly belongs in the foreign policy sphere of the British Commonwealth of Nations which means that it's up to countries like Canada to take decisive action.

Which is why we're where we are today.

[1066AD]

Tragedy, no other word.
Same thing starting in Namibia and South Africa.
Apparently Zambia and Mozambique are welcoming some of the displaced farmers, need their expertise.

[Dante3]

bttt

[kaehurowing]

"Land reform" has been legal in the United States since 1984, when the U.S. Supreme Court in Hawaii Housing Authority v. Midkiff held that it was lawful for the state of Hawaii to condemn the land from Person A and then transfer it to Person B, as long as there was a "conceivable" economic basis for doing so. Economically benefiting Person B is sufficient, says the Supreme Court, because that would improve the general welfare

This case has formed the basis for all sorts of abuses, primarily large companies paying off municipal governments (either directly or through promises that it will "increase the tax base") to seize property and then transfer the property to them.

The issue is again up in the Supreme Court, but I wouldn't hold my breath that the Court will restore the Public Use Clause to the Constitution.

[Clive]

We were expecting this.

Those who thought that they could come to an accommodation with Mugabe's thugs were totally out of touch with reality.

[Captain Peter Blood]

Mugabe has singlehandedly destroyed the entire economy of this country. He has let the mobs run wild and steal the farms of the whites and the country has gone from a exporter of farm products to an importer with a wreck for an economy.
Mugabe also forced out all of the skilled trades people and merchants.
Zimbabwe is now just another African basket case run by a dictator.
Give Africa another generation or two and I predict it will finally revert back to a nation of warring tribes.
I can't think of one country there now that isn't now worse off than they were before the European nations finally gave up their colonialism after W.W. II.