Mark Crawford, who is the president of the Southern Africa Commercial Alliance (SACFA) said the acquisition raised doubts about the government’s motives because the listed properties were too small to warrant government take over.
The Zimbabwe government announced in a government gazette last Friday that it was taking over 11 properties in Umzingwane.
Crawford said from the list of properties earmarked for seizure, it was clear that the government officials wanted the properties for personal enrichment rather that for commercial agriculture.
“The intention is organised looting of property such as houses and equipment judging by the size of land that they intend to acquire,” said Crawford.
Lands Minister Didymus Mutasa, who is in charge of the government’s land reform programme could not be reached for comment on the matter.
President Robert Mugabe’s government has since 2000 embarked on a controversial campaign to seize land from white farmers for distribution to landless blacks.
Most of the plum farms previously owned by white farmers have, however, fallen into the hands of senior ruling Zanu (PF) officials and military officers leaving thousands of black villagers still clamouring for land.
Crawford said among the 11 properties listed for acquisition was a less than 12-hectare plot belonging to Paul Hewart Canter while the biggest property was Lot 48A of Essexvale (Esigodini) Estate, measuring 145.2 hectares.
The Esigodini area, about 40km south of Bulawayo, is renowned for market gardening and fruit farming and provides the bulk of Bulawayo’s fruit and vegetable needs. – ZimOnline
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