Mohadi, new farmers in land battle
Saturday, 01 October 2011 19:22
BY NQABA MATSHAZI
RESETTLED farmers in Beitbridge have accused Home Affairs co-minister, Kembo
Mohadi of trying to muscle them out of land, which he allegedly intends to
parcel out to his son and nephew, in an acrimonious row that threatens to
turn nasty.
The resettled farmers, some of them war veterans, have been involved in a
long running dogfight with the minister, in a case that at one time saw one
plot holder seeking a peace order against Mohadi’s wife, Tambudzani. In a
letter addressed to war veterans Matabeleland South chairperson, a Mr
Siziba, the resettled farmers claim Mohadi wants to resettle his child,
Campbell Junior and his nephew, Danisa Muleya.
The plot holders claim a 2009 meeting, with the blessing of the District
Administrator, changed the status of the Lot 9 A1 self-contained farms to A2
and this invited the interest of Mohadi, who already occupies the adjacent
Lot 10. This, the farmers say, was later reversed by the Provincial Land
Committee, which charged that the district committee had erred in handling
the matter, considering that the meeting did not have a quorum.
The farmers claimed that the DA, Simon Muleya had approached them and
offered them alternative land to avoid confrontation with the Mohadis. But
the farmers resisted, saying they would not move as the land had been
allocated to them and this they say, led to Mohadi employing strong-arm
tactics, a charge the minister denied.
“Whoever is saying that, should go to the DA,” he charged. “I am not an
authority on land issues.”
Mohadi, without commenting on the individual case, said there was a chain
that people could follow from the District Land Committee, the Provincial
Land Committee and the Minister of Lands if they felt hard done.
The DA, Muleya, declined to comment, saying the matter had been referred to
the Provincial Lands Committee and he, therefore, could not comment on it.
But the resettled farmers claim Mohadi has erected a 1,4 metre high fence
that stretches for four and a half kilometres, which fenced off two farmers,
while taking almost two thirds and half of the two other nearby plots
respectively.
“(This) has created an island for the plot holders, as we are no longer able
to access each other or the nearest (water source)Zhove Dam,” reads the
letter.
“This is because no gateways were created along the fencing line thus
shutting down all the access routes, hence violating our rights to access
land lawfully allocated to us.”
The farmers further claim they resisted this and this led to Mohadi’s guard,
whom they identified as Knowledge, threatening them with a gun after they
attempted to stop him from driving their livestock off the land.
The farmers said the matters were handled by Officer-In-Charge of Beitbridge
Rural, an Inspector Mumanyi, with one case having been reported on August
12.
The police boss also sat in the District Land Committee meetings that
deliberated the conflict but he declined to comment referring the matter to
Officer Commanding Beitbridge, a Chinhengo.
Chinhengo however, said he was not aware any such reports were made, despite
the fact that his subordinate had sat in all the District Land Committee
meetings.
“Our workers are continually harassed by both the politicians’ farm guards
and also by the Beitbridge Rural police officers based at Mohadi’s farm,”
the farmers conclude. “This leaves us asking where our legitimate freedoms
and land empowerment are.”
The Provincial Land Committee is reported to have recommended that the fence
be removed, while those that owned land as per previous audits held early
this year should remain on their properties. Despite the recommendations
being made in August, the farmers say action is yet to be taken, although
the PLC is scheduled to meet at the end of the month and this will be one of
the items on the agenda.
Matabeleland South governor Angeline Masuku said she could not comment
because the matter was “above” her.
In another letter dated September 25, one farmer alleges that Mohadi
threatened to shoot his mother and killed a sheep.
He further alleges that the minister returned at 10pm and shot a dog,
apparently in an effort to intimidate the farmers that were refusing to be
evicted.
In response they allege they tried to make a report to the police, but were
told that the officers did not have any power to arrest their minister.
“When a report is made to the Beitbridge Rural police about affairs
involving the said politicians, no visible or tangible action is taken,” the
letter reads.