A stay of eviction has been granted by virtue of the filing of an appeal in an urgent application in the High Court in Harare However, it has just been reported that Magistrate Samuel Zuze has refused to recognise the High Court ruling and has issued a warrant of arrest for all the farmers who were in court on Tuesday and to whom he issued eviction orders. The first farmer to be arrested has been Mr Dawie Joubert.
In terms of the eviction orders the farmers should have vacated their properties by 5pm on 27 January 2009. However, the 24 hour period given to them to vacate their homes and properties of up to 50 years proved to be an almost impossible task to complete in such a short time. The Magistrate is being accused of grossly exceeding his jurisdiction.