Posted on 07/19/2002 6:02:00 PM PDT by Clive
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.
NATIONAL REPORT IN BRIEF
· Trelawney/Darwendale - there are reports of massive theft, particularly of MCB and switchgear, which appears to be the work of more than one gang operating in the area. Some criminals were recently released on amnesty and it is felt they are responsible.
· Gutu/Chatsworth - On Bath Farm, an individual from the ZFTU approached the owner on the evening of 11.07.02, saying if the owner paid him a certain amount he would stop the full delegation of the ZFTU approaching the owner and extorting huge sums of money.
· Masvingo East and Central - on Chidza Farm, despite numerous promises made to the owner the DA will address settlers and move them off the property, the owner has not seen any delegation arrive on the property.
REGIONAL NEWS
MANICALAND
Chipinge - ]
ZFTU are still very active in the area and are causing problems on some of the farms. The settlers are ploughing and buying maize seed from ZFC.
Burma Valley -
DDF ploughed nearly three weeks ago, but nothing has been done since. Some settlers have grown wheat and vegetables.
Odzi -
Settlers are still going around looking for jobs from farms in the area.
MASHONALAND CENTRAL
Mvurwi -
continued harassment by ZFTU stirring up labour to ask for full terminal benefits. This has been reported by eight farms.
MASHONALAND EAST
Beatrice -
Seven Section 8 Orders received week ending 12.07.02.
Two workers were abducted by "war vets" and beaten up. Although the workers returned, no police reaction.
In general thefts of electrical equipment, pumps, cables, switch gear stolen and one MCB. Ongoing poaching, stock theft and cattle slaughtered.
A vehicle was apprehended with 2 slaughtered cattle, which was involved in an accident. Two of the occupants escaped with a firearm, and two others taken to the police.
Harare South -
in the week ending 12.07.02, 18 cows in calf were stolen.
One Section 8 was received, and later +-20 settlers arrived in three vehicles on the farm concerned.
One farm reported poaching.
Agritex visited a couple of farms with recent Section 8 orders to gather statistics on production, yields and facilities.
Macheke/Virginia -
One farmer had a work stoppage and workers demanded severance packages. They later locked him in the security fence. No police reaction.
Another farmer experienced a work stoppage by workers demanding severance pay, which was resolved. Another farmer, who paid off his labour months ago, received threats from his ex-labour.
There was theft of an electric motor and cattle, with one cow slaughtered.
One farmer was locked out of his house.
A farmer moving his diesel tanks, had to break down a wall, and the settlers accused him of destroying property. The labour was chased away and his keys taken away. The DA was contacted who said he would react.
A farmer recovered 12 cattle missing for a year, and the thief is in gaol.
Another farmer had a fire deliberately set in the gum plantation.
A farmer had all his cattle pushed into the garden, and one walked through the glass door of his lounge.
MASHONALAND WEST (NORTH)
Banket -
There was a major problem on a farm when farmers were barricaded in their house. Eventually a Lt. Col. Mataruka solved the problem. The owner is now farming from Harare.
Trelawney/Darwendale -
there are reports of massive theft, particularly of MCB and switchgear, which appears to be the work of more than one gang operating in the area. Some criminals were recently released on amnesty and it is felt they are responsible. Three borehole pumps, 11 electric motors, 3 motorcycles, 2 batteries, 6 starters and 5 cases of aluminium pipe theft reported so far.
Raffingora -
On Sunday 14.07.02, Dr. Chombo and Mr. Chiangwa arrived late at a rally held at Katawa farm for the Victory Celebrations. Dr. Chombo spoke briefly, re-emphasising he wanted the owners of Erewhon, Chinomwe and another farm off their properties. He instructed local "war vet" Kangachepe to carry out this task. Before the audience could ask any questions the two officials left, claiming they had to rush off to their next appointment.
A2 settlers continue arriving on farms.
DA Tembo visited Raffingora Estates and removed the "youth" from the yard. He also visited Minihaha Farm and removed settlers from the spare house and allowed the owner to remove property. He also visited Perth Farm advising the settlers to move off for A2 settlement and go to the adjacent property. District is reasonably peaceful at present.
MASHONALAND WEST (SOUTH)
No report received.
MASVINGO
Reports up to 15.07.02
Mwenezi -
Battlefields Ranch settlers now demand the use of the owner's dip tank facilities approximately 100m from the owner's homestead.
Another Impala was found dead in a snare.
At Valley Ranch there is a very serious shortage of grazing. It is inundated with communal cattle and heavily over stocked. It was reported cattle originate from as far as Malapati area and are moved on to the ranch.
On Tuesday 09.07.02, settlers on Umbono Ranch were "clearing" lands by burning. Mwenezi is in a drought situation and no rain has fallen since December so the grass is tinder dry. The fire spread into Nuanetsi Ranch and burned all day and smouldered all night. The next day it flared up again, threatening grazing leased by Carswell Meats, so the labour teamed up to fight the blaze. High winds fanned the flames and a few thousand hectares of valuable grazing was lost. The settler concerned is employed on Matibi Section by Nuanetsi Ranch. There is also no underground water on Umbono, so water is carried in from neighbouring farms. There were no apologies or attempt to fight the fire by the settlers concerned.
Nuanetsi Ranch itself has been leasing out grazing to farmers' whose cattle had been forced off their own farms as part of the cruel abusive tactic of starvation of livestock on commercial farms. They are also leasing much of their grazing out to the new black commercial farmers. However Nuanetsi Ranch is now in a serious situation for grazing of their own cattle, which have slowly moved towards the centre of the ranch due to settler encroachment, poaching, burning and destruction of pipelines. This incident just illustrates the continual destruction of the environment.
Gutu / Chatsworth -
the Makanya Farm P/L owner's wife employs women in a sewing project. After her husband was subjected by firstly permanent workers then contract workers in paying millions of dollars to ZFTU, she faced the same harassment and had to pay millions of dollars on 12.07.02 to the sewing project workers. The ZFTU claimed they were underpaid. This has subsequently led to the closure of the business.
The Condor Farm owner reported one cow slaughtered on the property to the ZRP. It was believed to be his labour who removed the meat. ZRP investigated and approached a large group of settlers, who were in a meeting, to ask questions. The settlers objected to this and a delegation of approximately 60 settlers approached the owner demanding he remove his cattle immediately and asking why he accused them of theft, an unfounded statement.
On Bath Farm an individual from the ZFTU approached the owner on the evening of 11.07.02, saying if the owner paid him a certain amount he would stop the full delegation of the ZFTU approaching the owner and extorting huge sums of money.
Chiredzi -
Ongoing poaching and snaring within this area.
Masvingo East and Central -
the Townlands Farm owner reports stocktheft of another 14 cattle. The Lochinvar Farm owner reports stocktheft of another 12 head of cattle.
Reports up to 18.07.02
Masvingo East and Central -
on Chidza Farm despite numerous promises made to the owner the DA will address settlers and move them off the property, the owner has not seen any delegation arrive on the property.
Chiredzi -
Poaching and snaring continue.
Mwenezi -
the Alko Ranch owner received a letter from a certain individual (politician) demanding she be off the property by a certain date.
Kyalami Ranch and Kalahari Ranch each received a Section 7 Notice.
At Valley Ranch World Vision Malapati has now moved cattle on to the property. World Vision is also transporting settlers on to the property, driving around and checking up on cattle.
In general, slaughtering of cattle, snaring, theft, poaching and deforestation continue unabated within this area.
Save Conservancy -
Poaching and snaring continue in this area.
Gutu / Chatsworth -
Slaughtering of cattle, snaring, theft, poaching and deforestation continue unabated within this area.
Masvingo town:
The ZFTU are said to be doing the rounds within the town and have visited two business premises. In the one business the entire work force has signed up after continued harassment. The ZFTU are aggressive in approach causing endless harassment to both shop owner and working staff.
MIDLANDS
No report received.
MATABELELAND
No report received
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.