ONE of the top citrus farmers in Beitbridge, Ian Ferguson, has been given 24 hours to leave his farm by a government official as the onslaught against white farmers in Matabeleland South intensifies.

BY STAFF REPORTERS

Ferguson, who has been battling attempts to seize his Denlynian game sanctuary in the same district by suspected civil servants, said a Darlington Muleya believed to be a soldier, visited Benfer Estate on Tuesday and declared he was the new owner.

Muleya reportedly claimed he had been allocated the farm by the Lands ministry together with a man only identified as Nyathi from the Zezani area in Beitbridge.

“Muleya visited the farm on Tuesday and went to my son’s house and indicated that someone would be moving in today (Wednesday),” Ferguson said. “He threatened the domestic worker that if he did not open the gates he would harm him.

“He then went to the main house and he told the cook that he would be moving into the house.”

Ferguson said Muleya then inspected other properties around the farm before demanding a meeting with workers at the estate yesterday to inform them that he was their new employer.

Ferguson said he approached the district lands officer Mthulisi Moyo about the invasion, but the government official told him he had 24 hours to leave as he was occupying State land.

“He said we were on State land and that he had personally allocated the land,” the soon-to-be-90 farmer told Southern Eye. “He said we had 24 hours to leave the property.

“This man thinks he can do anything he wants in Beitbridge. He is above the law.”

Ferguson established the citrus estate on Lot 1 and 2 of River Ranch 48 years ago. He is a former government irrigation specialist who helped establish most of Beitbridge’s irrigation schemes.

His estate has 30 000 citrus trees and 4 000 mango trees. Ferguson believed he was being targeted for resisting the takeover of the Denlynian game sanctuary by people linked to powerful politicians in Beitbridge.

The farmer was acquitted after he was charged with illegally occupying State land and has won a string of court cases against the land invaders, but police have been reluctant to help him throw out the people that have vandalised his property. Ferguson believed Moyo was one of a number of civil servants violating the law in their bid to torment him.

However, Moyo refused to discuss the matter yesterday when Southern Eye contacted him.

“He (Ferguson) should come to my office if he has any problems, not newspapers,” he said curtly.

Last week Ferguson said he had lost nearly $1 million in revenue, property and legal fees fighting the invasion of Denlynian Farm.

The safari farm was invaded in 2013 and Ferguson’s spirited efforts to protect the sanctuary have come unstuck as political heavyweights from Matabeleland South are reportedly behind the mayhem at the property.

Ferguson said invaders led by top government officials had looted property, wantonly killed game and cost the wildlife conservancy thousands in lost revenue.

According to correspondence seen by Southern Eye, last month the desperate farmer made an impassioned plea to judicial authorities to help restore rule of law on the property.

Ferguson’s grandson David Pocock is now an Australian rugby legend with a postage stamp minted in his honour.

Pocock’s parents were forced off their Zimbabwean farm, but the rugby star still supports charity programmes in Nkayi.