Sadc will discuss land grabs — Zuma
Sadc leaders will be under pressure to take action against Zimbabwean
President Robert Mugabe over illegal land grabs
WYNDHAM HARTLEY
Published: 2011/05/10 06:34:02 AM
CAPE TOWN — President Jacob Zuma and fellow southern African leaders will
again be under intense pressure to take action against Zimbabwean President
Robert Mugabe later this month when they meet to consider a crucial report
on his illegal land grabs.
In late 2008, the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Tribunal
ruled against Mr Mugabe’s government, insisting unanimously that a group of
79 farmers had been denied access to justice in Zimbabwe and further ruling
that they had been discriminated against because they were white. Mr Mugabe
and his then government thumbed their noses at the tribunal ruling, saying
it had no jurisdiction.
Since then Sadc leaders have prevaricated on just what to do about the
ruling and Zimbabwe’s refusal to comply.
Democratic Alliance MP James Selfe had asked Mr Zuma, in a parliamentary
question, what steps the justice ministers and attorneys-general of Sadc
states believed should be taken against Mr Mugabe. Mr Zuma’s reply, tabled
yesterday, said a report by the ministers and attorneys-general would be
discussed at a Sadc leaders’ summit on May 19-20.
Mr Zuma’s reply also indicates the degree to which Sadc leaders have dragged
their heels on the issue of tribunal rulings. It also shows reluctance to
confront Mr Mugabe for his refusal.
Mr Zuma said about two years after the 2008 ruling that the Sadc heads of
state “mandated the committee of ministers of justice and attorneys-general
to consider the legal issues relating to Zimbabwe’s noncompliance with a
ruling by the Sadc tribunal and also to conduct a review of the roles and
responsibilities of the Sadc Tribunal with a view to strengthening it and
improving its terms of reference.
“The summit also adopted the recommendation by the committee of ministers of
justice and attorneys-general to commission a study which, in addition to
covering the above matters, would also deal with the recognition and
enforcement of decisions by the Sadc Tribunal.”
This effectively suspended the operations of the tribunal.
Mr Zuma said that in October Sadc leaders approved a panel of experts to
conduct the study. This had now been completed and was considered by the
justice ministers and attorneys-general last month.
“A report containing recommendations regarding these matters will be
presented by the committee of ministers of justice and attorneys-general to
a special Sadc Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held on May
19-20 in Windhoek ,” Mr Zuma said.
DA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip, commenting on the reply, said: “The
saddest thing of all this is that Sadc has undermined itself by not calling
a member state to account and that Mike Campbell, the farmer who fought so
courageously to win his farm back through the tribunal, has since died”.