Move to defuse land-grab row
SUNDAY TIMES CORRESPONDENT | 16 October, 2011 02:45
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is this week due to confront President
Robert Mugabe to try to defuse a potentially major diplomatic row after the
South African ambassador to Zimbabwe, Vusi Mavimbela, attacked Harare
viciously over lawlessness.
Speaking after meeting Tsvangirai last week, Mavimbela blasted the Zimbabwe
government and police for failing to rein in rogue Zanu-PF militants who
have been wantonly invading farms owned by South Africans in violation of
the Bilateral Investment and Protection Agreement (Bippa) signed between
Pretoria and Harare in 2009.
Diplomats say Mavimbela’s condemnation could only have been sanctioned by
South African President Jacob Zuma.
In the past few months, militants loyal to Mugabe have been invading the few
remaining white-owned farms, including those owned by South Africans,
although they are supposed to be protected under Bippa.
Mugabe and the police have failed to take action and prevent the lawless
invasion of the farms, leading to the angry words from Pretoria directed at
Harare.
Mavimbela did not mince his words in appealing to Tsvangirai for
intervention and also asked the SA government to assist as they had failed
at diplomatic level.
Recently South African farmers Koos Smith of De Rust farm and Tiennie van
Rensburg of Rueben Farm in Nyazura were evicted by a mob loyal to Mugabe and
Zanu-PF, leaving them destitute.
Tsvangirai, through his spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka, told the Sunday Times
that he would take up the issue with Mugabe.
“The prime minister will personally table the issue of lawlessness raised by
the South African ambassador as this is a serious issue that needs urgent
attention. He is taking the issue seriously, as this is what has poisoned
the political environment in Zimbabwe. This is the culture of impunity that
has to be stopped,” said Tamborinyoka.
The meeting is expected to be held this week.
Mavimbela fired the salvo two weeks after Zuma said his country would not
grab land in the violent and bloody manner witnessed in Zimbabwe at the
start of the last decade.
Mavimbela said the militants appeared to be protected by police and said the
lawlessness in Zimbabwe had resulted in most South African companies failing
to invest in the country for fear of losing their money.
“One of the issues we raised with the prime minister was our concern about
the manner in which farm invasions still take place in this country. We have
a number of South African farmers who were evicted from their farms
recently. We believe that the process that was followed is not anything that
we can be proud of,” said Mavimbela.
“Some of the things seem to be happening not only to the South African
companies, but also to the farmers, and this has the possibility of
violating the agreement. We raised that concern,” Mavimbela said.