Zimbabwe -- Farm Invasions And Security Report

COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION
Farm Invasions And Security Report
Thursday 28 March 2002

This report does not purport to cover all the incidents that are taking place in the commercial farming areas. Communication problems and the fear of reprisals prevent farmers from reporting all that happens. Farmers names, and in some cases farm names, are omitted to minimise the risk of reprisals.

Horseshoe - at Chiringe, the "war vets" /youth moved into the main homestead and the manager's house. The labourers demanded extra package payments.

On Rungudzi, "war vets"/youth demanded free use of the tractors and ploughs for land preparation.

On Nyamsewe, the "war vets" caused a work stoppage on the coffee, with the threat they will move into manager's house.

On Red Lichen, a total work stoppage was caused and the labourers confined to their homes. The piggery was left totally untended. The farm is NOT listed or designated.

On Siyalima, a work stoppage was caused by threats from the "war vets" to barricade houses and put up roadblocks at the entrance and exit to the farm.

The police were notified but refused to respond to all incidents on the pretext they are not criminal acts.

Harare South - at Harwen Farm, after labour attended a meeting on the next- door farm, they refused to work, issuing a series of demands including cheaper mealie meal and meat, and more transport assistance.

The owner resolved the situation after a three-hour meeting and the labour returned to work.

The following day, they returned to harass the owner's wife and forced her to chant Zanu (PF) slogans.

The owner arrived with a police detail and the situation calmed down, with the district farmers standing off at a distance.

Three farmers entered the house to provide moral support and workers barricaded the gate with farm trailers.

The OIC Beatrice arrived at 1330 hrs and held a meeting with the labour and owner. OIC heard both sides of argument and told labour they were wrong. Labour dispersed.

Canterbury reported three "war vets" from Marirangwe base arrived in a green Pulsar (381-629N) wanting funds to assist in victory celebration.

They invited the owner to join them, who declined invitation and informed vets that any monies donated should come from a central district fund.

At Nhuku the labour massed outside the gates, wanting "work information". The matter was resolved.

Marondera North - Police arrested youth on Glen Isla farm, who were thought to be involved in the beating up of people at a rally in the area.

Wedza - at Lushington ± 18 head of cattle were stolen, and seven were recovered near Leads Farm.

On Saltash, the owner went with the CID and recovered some stolen property. They continue to recover property today.

Featherstone - after vacating the farm last Friday, the owner of Kuruman A, returned on 26.03.02 and was refused access to move remaining furniture, tractor, sheep and pigs.

The youth claimed he had to pay off workers before remaining property could be taken.

Later owner was informed the ± 100 dairy cattle would not be milked from that afternoon.

The owner reported the matter to the Mashonaland East Governor and was escorted to the farm by Support Unit and other officials on 27.03.02.

The labour and youth were informed all dairy cattle were to be milked without any further stoppages, but it is not known when / if the owner can return. The officials then went on to Chivhu to settle the matter with the DA Chagwiza.

The Calais owner was informed by a section of settlers he should be off the farm by 03.04.02.

One section of settlers claim state he must remain and should not be disturbed while the other section claim he must vacate and pay off the labour.

The DA Chagwiza and Land Committee in Chikomba have requested he attend a meeting before then.

The owner has signed over a piece of the farm for the settlers and is supposed to be allowed to farm the balance.

The dairy on the owner's section of the farm was closed by settlers in January 2002, and the dairy cattle are now being milked on the next- door farm. They have not been allowed to return.

The Versailles owner had a report from labour that DA Chagwiza had arrived on farm on 23.03.02 and told workers the owner and workers would be off by 02.04.02 (OR ELSE!!).

DA handed papers to settlers and informed them the farm would be theirs on 01.04.02.

The owner returned to the farm on 24.03.02 to load cattle and was allowed to do so only with police intervention.

On 26.03.02 the owner went with workers and officials from Marondera to see DA who at first denied even going to the farm. Later he admitted going there after workers identified him and Asst. DA Chezana.

DA denied saying that owner should vacate or giving the settlers the farm and argued that once a Section 5 is received owner should vacate.

Workers have received a letter from Chivhu Labour Office with figures for retrenchment packages.

Chinhoyi - on 26.03.02 at Sligo Farm, settlers covered the farm entrance grid with rocks and tried to bend a pole across to block vehicles coming on to the farm.

On 27.03.02 the owners of Manegas Farm, Highlands Farm and Chengu Farm were given 24 hours to leave their farms. The owner of Chengu Farm is in the process of leaving his farm at time of writing.

Banket - on 27.03.02, "war vet" Muturugudu ordered settlers to build houses right next to the homestead on Doondoo Farm.

Due to pressure, the owner of Dalketh Farm moved out of his house. The house has been occupied and turned into a school.

Norton - A2 settlers are arriving on several farms at the moment, and starting to establish themselves irrespective of the legal status of the farm.

Selous - On Onverwag, which is not listed, a "war vet" called Nelson Nyamaridza has moved into the homestead.

Chegutu - The DA and the Deputy Speaker of the House still refuse to allow the owner of Lot 1A of The Grove to return to his farm, but have allowed a manager to look after his operations.

On Exwick farm, "war vet" Makoni was at the gate on 24.03.02 making demands for the owners to move out.

This property was delisted on the government to government delisting and yet the "war vets" refuse to recognize the delisting. To date all is quiet.

Irrespective of the legal status of the farms, they told them A2 settlers would be growing wheat on these irrigation farms. It is unclear as to whose irrigation equipment they would be using.

Chakari - Tawstock last night at 1100 hrs a 50-strong gang of maize thieves went into his lands.

The "war vets" involved are suspected to come from the neighbouring farm. The police were advised.

Masvingo East and Central - the Mayo Farm owner (in his seventies) was made to attend a meeting called by the settlers on 23.03.02.

During this meeting he was made to stand up and do the "pamberis". He was told he must move off his property and demands were made for water.

Chidza Farm reports that on 26.03.02 at approximately 1030 hrs, the resident police settler, Chirove, who settled the farm, mixed three herds of cattle together when they were returning to their paddocks from the dip.

He chased the cattle, causing one cow to break its leg. The owner had to shoot the cow and wishes to claim compensation of ZW$ 45 000-00 as it is a high-grade cow and was in calf to the pedigree bull, which cost the owner $350 000-00.

Chirove and approximately thirty other settlers were at Chidza bridge afterwards, preventing the cattle from returning to their paddocks.

A multitude of meetings with the Land Committee, Governor, PA and DA resulted in a "co-existence" agreement allowing the settlers approximately 1000 acres located on the other side of the main road, on which the owner has provided water, fencing and two gates for movement of cattle.

In spite of this, the settlers insisted on running their cattle with the owner's pedigree herd, which resulted in the owners' cattle contracting contagious abortion.

The whole herd of 70 cows and 30 calves had to be slaughtered, with the loss running to millions of dollars.

At the present time, the settlers have approximately 50 cattle mixed in with the owners' cattle.

The owner was further compromised by keeping his staff in the paddocks during the day to herd the cattle to keep them out of the settlers' failed crops, then kraaling them at night without grazing, resulting in poor condition of the cattle.

The owner completed land preparation using his diesel, tractors and labour costing more than ZW$ 250 000-00 only to have the settlers claimed the owners' lands for themselves.

Other incidents include Chirove stealing the owners' bull to run with his cows, blocking the water points to deny access for the owner's cattle as well as numerous other deliberate sabotages for the past two years.

At Lothian Farm, settlers have moved again into the owner's homestead. The owner is not presently residing on this property.

Chiredzi - there is ongoing harassment, with poaching and more people moving on to farms.

People from the communal areas have been told that they should begin moving on to the farms. Fires have also been reported.

Settlers on this property are said to have chased all the farm workers out of their homes and off the property, leaving 300 cattle untended.

Reports are that settlers have begun sharing the cattle amongst themselves. This has been reported to the Police who have sent officials out to investigate the situation.

Mwenezi - Continued harassment over water. Cattle are being caught in snares. Poaching rampant.

General - A new trend developing is to steal four month old calves, which are unbranded or untagged, and moving them into their communal areas. Many reports from different districts are coming in of unaccounted calf shortages.

Several deliberate fires have already accrued raising fears of a scorched earth policy being applied.

There are some signs of better police response to complaints, although it is too early to see if this is a departmental policy change.

Daily harassment of farmers and their labour continues and comes in many forms. As soon as one dispute is resolved another one is immediately created or invented.

No life threatening injuries to people have been reported recently. Verbal abuse, murder threats and ullimatums abound.

Inyathi - Gourlays Ranch (Richard Pascall) had approximately 300 people around the homestead this morning, demanding compensation for a rhino that had died and wanting the owner to move out with immediate effect.

They harassed the labour, causing a work stoppage and telling the labour to vacate the farm.

The Police were called and arrived. After a three-hour meeting between the police, owner and a small representative group of the mob, they finally dispersed when a truck loaded with maize arrived at the store. The situation is quiet.

Esigodini - the Komani Farm (Mr Paul Goodwin at) owner is now completely off his farm, with his stud herd of beef cattle, dairy cattle and sheep moved to neighbours.

Nyamandlovu - Hilda's Kraal (John Sharp) had 105 people arrive on 26.03.02. After a while, they left leaving 16 of the group at the homestead.

Munto Farm (Mr Pilossof -) was visited by a group of people, telling the manager (Mr Parkin) to leave the farm immediately. He is still on the farm.

Porter Farm (Mr W. Herbst) was visited by a group of 30 people, who told the owner to leave immediately. They are still on the farm.

The local self-appointed "war vet" leader, Mquamanzi claims the farm homestead is his and wants to move in. The issue of who is sharing beds with whom has not been resolved as yet!

Continual pressure from settlers and "war vets" is forcing the owner of Edwaleni into reducing his cattle numbers.

600 head of illegal cattle will leave his herd starving within two months. The settler cattle will then return to their grazing in the communal lands.

Water supplies are critical, as settlers have burnt out three electric motors on the boreholes.

A family member of Compensation farm, which has suffered greatly, was stopped at his home gate in Bulawayo by a group of Zanu (PF) youths, who were putting up posters for the elections.

Police at Hillside would not record the incident and the OIC refused to give his name.

The vehicle ferrying the youths was a red Nissan twin cab registration number 757 - 185B.

Labour on Seafield has been beaten up, intimidated and instructed to remove all the cattle off the farm.

Gwaai - Gwaai Ranch National Parks official found driving around the farm looking to shoot three Buffalos to feed the youth brigade in the area.

Gwanda - the Oakley Block farm manager has been denied access to the property to manage his cattle.

Settlers have broken into the homestead stealing the remaining furniture, occupying the homestead and establishing a school in the outbuildings.

West Nicholson - at Atherstone Ranch, "war vets" and settlers started removing the irrigation pipes and equipment off the lands claiming the farm and all equipment belongs to them.

Police have intervened but not decisively and there is an uneasy standoff between the owner and settlers. Police have gone to consult their superiors to determine who owns what.

The Chipizi Farm "war vets" continually harass management. They have broken and destroyed ball valves on water troughs, effectively destroying water supplies to 80% of the ranch.

The wildlife has already been subjected to heavy poaching pressure, which will now increase dramatically as the animals will be forced to congregate around the only dam on the property.

The vacant house and cottage were broken into. The house is now occupied and the cottage used as a school.

The occupants to allow the owner to remove the pump and switchgear valued at ZW$ 250 000, from the river.

The local MP T. Muhadi is reported to have ordered ZESA to switch on the power and claimed the farm owner would pay for the power used.

Matobo - at Mt Edgecombe, settlers have taken over staff housing and turned the farm shed into a school.

Calves are disappearing and are either killed and eaten or removed into communal areas.

Umguza - at Mawala Farm, a dismissed worker who complained to "war vets" tried to extort an inflated gratuity settlement from the elderly farmer, to no avail.

To: Lazamataz; shaggy eel; Brian Allen; headsonpikes; junta; untenured; Devereaux; Tropoljac

The silence in the face of these atrocities is deafening. If the victims were black and the perpetrators white, there would be a world-wide uproar. Is it possible that the world expects no better from black Africans than savage behavior?

The silence in the face of these atrocities is deafening....

It is truly shameful how the "watchdog press" so studiously 'won't even talk about' this and other subjects they consider unfit in polite company. I reminds me of the silence over modern-day slavery-- oh, I have heard a few brief blurbs about slavery on the TV, but it's just so they can claim, "Old news, we already covered that..." How clintonian!

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