South Africa citizen Ian Ferguson, who built up Denlynian Game Ranch in Zimbabwes dry Beitbridge area into a prized tourism destination, has accused the Zimbabwean authorities of ethnic cleansing under the guise of land resettlement. (Pictured: Lands Minister Herbert Murerwa Ha
The white commercial farmer is the latest casualty of the governments land reform programme. The commercial farmer said he took over the farm when it was derelict 24 years ago and got a letter of no interest from the government. Ferguson built it up and installed electricity and pumping points, only to have a group of people calling themselves the Zhovi Conservancy invade the farm recently.
Ferguson said there is currently widespread looting and asset stripping by the group who invaded the game ranch last Wednesday. Twenty staff members, including game guards, were evicted and dumped along the Bulawayo road. His son, Arthur, was arrested in front of his young children and spent a night behind bars at Beitbridge police station.
The farmer said there is no law and order when it comes to the land issue and those taking over the ranch include police officers, civil servants, municipal workers and communal farmers. Zanu (PF) vehicles were also reportedly seen on the property.
The property has the highest density of plains game in Zimbabwe and a very sensitive ecosystem. Our fear is that they are going to slaughter the game and destroy it within weeks if not days, he said.
Ferguson breeds a unique pack of wild dogs and the wildlife ranch is home to animals including antelopes, giraffes, eland, kudus, bushbucks and zebras.
He pointed out that there is a major river that runs through his property and on the opposite side is land that was purchased by government in the early 1980s. The farmer said this particular land, which is three times the size of his wildlife conservation farm, was fully developed when it was acquired by the authorities but has been completely neglected.
Its totally derelict with not a single person living on it. So the whole thing doesnt make any sense at all. Its nothing to do with land resettlement, its purely ethnic cleansing. Thats all it is.
He said the new settlers claim they have offer letters but they wont give us the offer letters and we have been told that the offer letters are not legal because they were created in Beitbridge and not by the ministry.
Ferguson said the South African embassy in Harare have told him that his farm is not protected under a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA), signed by South Africa and Zimbabwe last year.
According to the agreement any property that was gazetted for acquisition before 2009 is not protected under this BIPPA. He said his farm was originally gazetted for acquisition in 2007.
He added: But as a South African citizen the South African government is still obliged to protect ones interest in foreign countries and we cant complain, they are doing everything they can and they are being very cooperative and are concerned.
It is understood the South African embassy has approached the Zimbabwe Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the issue but it is not known what the response has been.
Reports also claim that co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi, who comes from Beitbridge, is behind this latest land invasion, but we have not been able to get a comment from the minister.
Post published in: News