HARARE South African national farming in Zimbabwe or who have lost their farms under Harares controversial land reform programme have organised themselves into .....a group to push for protection by their government and compensation for those whose properties have already been expropriated.
Louis Fick, a South African farmer who has relentlessly challenged Zimbabwes often violent land redistribution exercise, said newly formed South African Farmers Group aims to get protection for the South African nationals still farming or compensation for members who have lost their land, equipment and other assets.
We meet with the South African embassy almost once a week to discuss issues on behalf of our members, he said.
The group is part of the structures of the largely white Commercial Farmers Union whose members have been targeted by illegal land occupiers linked to President Robert Mugabes Zanu (PF) party.
More than 4 000 farmers, including hundreds of South African nationals and companies, have been dispossessed of their farms since 2000 when Mugabe embarked on his controversial land reforms.
Fick said the group was compiling a database of South African nationals either currently farming or dispossessed of their land.
There are currently more than 300 people registered on the database.
The group has requested a meeting with officials from South Africas Department of Social Welfare to seek assistance for members needing support.
It has also made presentations to heads of mission of Southern African Development Community and European Union member states in its efforts to stop the ongoing seizures of farms which have continued despite last years ratification of an investment protection pact between Harare and Pretoria.
The seizures have also continued despite pledges by Mugabe to end the chaos in the farming sector which were made during the 2008 signing of a power-sharing agreement that led to the formation of Zimbabwes coalition government last year.
Post published in: Uncategorized