Beatrice farmer & 84 workers threatened with eviction
By Alex Bell
03 October 2011
A commercial farmer in Beatrice and his 84 workers have all been handed
eviction notices and ordered to vacate the property by the end of the week,
as the ongoing seizure of land in Zimbabwe intensifies.
Wayne Greaves and his staff are in the process of moving their belongings
off Enondo B farm, after the eviction papers were served by a sheriff of the
court last Friday. That same court sheriff warned that he would return this
week and anyone left on the property would be arrested.
An ‘offer’ letter for the farm was first served on Greaves in February. The
offer letter was in two names, Hudson Zhanda and his wife Irene Zhanda, said
to be a practicing nurse in London for the past 5 years.
At the time Greaves went to see the Governor in Marondera and explained that
he had already given up two farms 2002, leaving him with Enondo B, where he
was allowed to continue farming.
According to John Worsley-Worswick from Justice for Agriculture (JAG), this
formal agreement was then set aside to allow the offer letter holder,
Zhanda, to take over part of the land.
But this has since changed with Zhanda dragging Greaves to court in order to
take over the whole property. The case was heard and letters of support for
Greaves were all submitted, including letters from the Governor, the
Provincial Administrator, the War Veterans’ Association Chairman and the
chief lands officer. In the hearing, the Judge also suggested that a letter
of support would also be needed from the Minister of Lands. A letter was
then duly written by Minister Herbert Murerwa agreeing with the Governor’s
recommendation, which was subsequently submitted.
But despite these letters of support, the Supreme Court has now backed
Zhanda.
JAG’s Worsley-Worswick told SW Radio Africa that Supreme Court Justice
Godfrey Chidyausiku last week signed the eviction notices for Greaves and
his staff.
“We are pretty horrified. This is the first time that a Judge has signed
eviction notices individually for workers. Wayne’s concerns are all about
the welfare of his workers, because what do they do now?” Worsley-Worswick
said.
An appeal is now being voiced for support for Greaves, his 84 farm labourers
and their extended families, a total of more than 450 people, set to lose
everything.