AGRICULTURAL RECOVERY AND COMPENSATION

 

 New Companies Act.

 

Given the large number of acquired farms owned by companies that have been unable to maintain their regular returns, an approach has been made to the authorities to find a way around this for businesses owed compensation. We hope to report positively on this soon.

 

Interim Relief Update

 

Please contact Wendy de la Fargue or Mike Clark  if you are in any doubt with reference to the outstanding payments.

 

The following points are still relevant:

 

Individual title owners must get their personal documents in order. It is essential that documentation connecting owners of farms to title deeds is in place. This is generally simple in the case of individuals but more complicated in the case of companies, deceased estates or where there are family trusts. It is essential that owners have nominated contact persons and alternates who may legally access client information. Copies of the below documents should all be put together and stored in a file somewhere handy rather than waiting for the last minute to gather such essential information.

 

1. Original Title Deeds
2. Original Water Rights or other relevant documents
3. Wills
4. Powers of Attorney
5. Company Documentation
6. S.I.6 Gratuity Clearance certificates
7. Copies of bank statements showing dates of any payments received from Government.

 

 

We sincerely thank those of you who have been paid interim relief for submitting the 5% voluntary donation to us so quickly. However, please send an email to confirm this to Louise at [email protected] . She is doing an incredible but difficult job trying to record and identify exactly where the payments are coming in from.

 

We need these payment details to assist us to reconcile the bank statements we receive, which often lack simple details of exactly who paid us and also to assist us to keep tabs on the situation. Our biggest problem comes from direct payments through your cell phone – ZIPIT. We have a huge number of these payments that we cannot reconcile with our bank statements.

 

Bank Account details for the 5% voluntary donation:

CABS
Account number: 1003118143
Account name: Valuation Consortium
Branch: Northridge Park

 

In light of the current encouraging movement on compensation and the possibility of some sort of interim payment for farmers needing urgent assistance, it is essential for all farm owners to help us keep the database information completely updated and current. i.e.

 

1. Address
2. Phone numbers
3. Email addresses
4. Notification of death of owner
5. Next of kin and their contact details
6. Company directors and their contact details

 

The above information is also shared with Valcon.

 

Any changes in the above should urgently please be sent to Mike Clark at [email protected]

 

 

Please note that there are have been delays in the processing of SI6 clearances in particular where there are no original documents available. The news of Compensation has triggered visits to the Ministry of Labour by some former farm workers who insist they did not receive their packages.

 

We have now engaged with NSSA to assist in this matter.

 

For now, we still require:

 

• Original plus two copies of each payment made to your employees. We have requested that in the case of large numbers, sample copies should suffice.

 

• The documents need to be collated i.e. in the same order in each copy.

 

• It is helpful to have a complete schedule of calculations for payments.

 

• Name of the farm owner either company or individual plus Deed of Transfer Number. (We have details on our database and can assist)

 

• Details of the property as listed for acquisition.  This gives the legal description and the district and owner. (We have details on our database and can assist)

 

• Name of the employer if different from the farm owner. Sometimes people operated multiple companies.

 

• If the above documentation is to hand the process can be done relatively easily. For paid up members it will cost you ZWL300.00 which we pay to NEC Agriculture as a token fee. Once they have done their work, we submit the letter to Ministry of Labour for a clearance letter. They each keep a copy of the documents. You get your original documents back together with the clearance letter.

 

• Please make an appointment with Mary on 242770029 at the front desk to see Mike Clark, please email Mike in advance with your farm name and details on [email protected]

 

If you lack full evidence we will have to proceed by way of Affidavit. We have drafts suitable for both yourselves and former employees.

 

SI 6 Affidavit – farmer  

 

SI 6 Affidavit – farm worker  N.B. In the past Ministry has accepted two such employee affidavits, however recently such documentation has been returned and it is advisable to obtain more than two affidavits if at all possible.