Fick, a South African national, has endured sustained harassment by Mashiringwani’s henchmen, with the shooting of farm workers spelling the end of his farming activity. The Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) expressed its horror at the shootings. Ficks cook was shot in the chest, a second employee was shot in the head and a third sustained leg injuries. The situation regarding the other two employees is still to be confirmed.
The wife of the cook is reported to have been shot in the head and her condition is believed to be serious. The injured employees have been rushed to Chinhoyi and will be taken to Harare by ambulance. In addition, a number of homes belonging to the farm workers were burnt down the exact number has not yet been confirmed. As has been the case on previous occasions, workers are being blocked from feeding Ficks cattle, pigs and crocodiles.
The person allegedly responsible for the shootings is Tichiona (surname unknown at this time), an employee of Mashiringwani. Mashiringwani has continuously harassed Fick and his workers in his often violent attempts to take over the farm. It has been confirmed that the bullets used in the attack were rubber bullets to which, as a rule, only the armed forces have access.
Currently there has been no confirmation of any police reaction to the latest shootings. As a rule, police do not attend to incidents which they categorise as political. Fick is one of 79 farmers who took their case to the SADC Tribunal in Windhoek and his farm is protected by the SADC Tribunals ruling of 28 November 2008. Despite this landmark ruling handed down by a respected international court, Zanu (PF) has refused to recognise it and has continued to relentlessly harass farmers and their workers across the country.
We have been fearing a flare up of this type of violence as reports are being received countrywide of the intensifying of violence by Zanu( PF) and the redeployment of the youth militia, especially in the rural areas, said CFU president, Deon Theron. On Tuesday, the CFU issued a statement calling on the Zimbabwean government to immediately stabilise the current situation as a matter of urgency.
As commercial farmers, we are prepared to contribute to Zimbabwes food self-sufficiency, but can only do so when given the opportunity. Full production on commercial farmland would alleviate the necessity for the constant importation of essential food to Zimbabwe, read a statement from the CFU. The CFU called on the Zimbabwean government to clarify whether white commercial farmers have any role to play in the future of food production in Zimbabwe.
Post published in: News