The buildings, that were earmarked for a clinic and school by the Robert Mugabe government during the height of the infamous land grab in 2002, are now in a dilapidated state and are being used as a bar and brothel by the resettled farmers.
Solomon Mashingaidze, a Zanu (PF) activist and war veteran, invaded the property in 2002. His fellow invaders have allegedly abandoned farming and taken up illegal gold panning.
A cottage that was meant to be a clinic at the farm is now being used as a brothel where commercial sex workers ply their trade among the gold panners.
In an interview, Mashingaidze said: “I do not see anything wrong with selling opaque beer. This is business and it is also a way of motivating the resettled farmers here. We have been losing a lot of labour force to the timber estates and I have seen that if we sell cheap beer here the workers will remain here.”
Mashingaidze has also been accused of not paying his workers. “That is rubbish. I am the best paying farmer here. What happens is that these workers buy beer on credit, then I will deduct the money from their salaries at the end of the month,” explained Mashingaidze. The workers, however, maintained that they were being exploited.
Post published in: News