Media release: Invasion of pristine Zim game ranch

MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Thursday 15 April 2010





South African-owned Zim game ranch illegally occupied in defiance of BIPPA




In defiance of a bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement (BIPPA) signed by South Africa and Zimbabwe on November 27 last year, a South African-owned game ranch was taken over yesterday at 17h00 in the Beitbridge area of Matabeleland South.



This is the first contravention of the BIPPA which protects South African investments in Zimbabwe from the date of signing and includes agricultural land.



The deal was lauded as being the key to unlocking millions of rands worth of investment from South Africa.



“It is extremely unfortunate that this is taking place at a stage when South African President Jacob Zuma is engaging with our transitional government to find a peaceful way forward for the country,” said Deon Theron, president of the Commercial Farmers’ Union.



“April 18 is the 30th anniversary of Zimbabwe’s independence but we have nothing to celebrate. We are now totally dependent on the international donor community for food aid whereas in 1980 we were recognised as a food secure country and an exporter,” Theron said.



Just 46 km from the South African border, Benlynian Ranch is a highly regarded destination for conservationists, overseas tourists and South African visitors, generating valuable foreign currency for Zimbabwe.



For months the owners and their employees have been subjected to ongoing harassment, hampering operations on the game farm and nearby Benfer citrus estate, also owned by the South African shareholders.



In February, the police were instructed by the National Land Inspectorate to prosecute the son of one of the owners although there was no official case against him.



During March, a young game guard from the unit was arrested by the police without warning and placed in custody. He was subsequently taken to the public prosecutor, who admitted there was no legal reason to prosecute, and he was finally released a few days later.



According to commentators who cannot be named for security reasons, the local police are under significant pressure from police headquarters in Harare to force the few remaining commercial farmers off their land.



Benlynian is an ecologically significant game ranch - described by a prominent British botanist as having the finest riverine forest of its type he had seen worldwide.

The land is totally unsuitable for resettlement as it is situated in Zimbabwe’s Ecological Region 6, which is classified as semi-desert, with the lowest rainfall in the country and the highest recorded evaporation.



Due to the shallow basalt soils, rocky ridges and lack of natural surface water, the land is officially categorised as not fit for human habitation and is also unsuitable for cattle and cropping.



Benlynian Range was purchased in 1984 after receipt of an official letter of no interest from the Zimbabwean government, which had bought a large section of land across the Umzingwane River and required no additional land in the area.



Over 24 years, the owners sank boreholes, installed electricity and transformed the 20 000 ha ranch into a viable wildlife sanctuary protected by 75 km of 16 strand game fencing.



They stocked it with giraffe, zebra, wildebees, eland, kudu, impala, bushbuck, duiker and steenbok and created a haven for cheetah, leopard and, more recently two breeding packs of the highly endangered wild dog.



With the well-documented slaughter of Zimbabwe’s prized wildlife throughout the conservancies and commercial farms, as well as in the national parks over the past decade, Benlynian Ranch’s importance as a game sanctuary and gene pool is has become increasingly critical.



“The Soccer World Cup is taking place in South Africa less than two months away and Zimbabwe should be doing everything possible to capitalise on this unique tourism opportunity,” said Theron. “We should also be providing South Africa with support at this critical time.”



“Instead, our actions are driving away potential tourists and impacting negatively on the entire SADC region, both from a tourism and investment perspective,” he concluded.



ENDS



For further information:



Deon Theron

President

Commercial Farmers’ Union – Zimbabwe

Tel: +263 4 309 800 (CFU – Harare)

Zim Cell: +263 912 246 233

E-mail: dtheron@cfuzim.org

Minister Mohadi believed to be involved in latest farm invasion
http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
15 April 2010

Co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi is believed to be involved in the
invasion of a South African owned game farm in Beitbridge, in a move that
critics say could threaten trade relations between the two countries.

A lodge on Benlynian Game Ranch, which lies just 46 km from the South
African border, was invaded by eight men on Wednesday, who then gave the
owners of the farm up until Thursday night to vacate. The ranch owner is
said to have already fled the property for his own safety, but his son has
been trying to persuade police to stop the invaders taking over. Police
officials have instead been scouring the property trying to arrest some
employees on the farm, including ranch guards and game rangers.

Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) President Deon Theron told SW Radio Africa on
Thursday that Minister Mohadi, who has control of the police, is suspected
to be involved in the invasion. Theron said that he couldn't confirm these
suspicions but he did express concern about the Minister's possible
involvement, saying: "If this is true, then it's a very sad state of
affairs."

The game farm is a popular destination for conservationists, overseas
tourists and South African visitors, generating valuable foreign currency
for Zimbabwe. But for months the owners and their employees have been
subjected to ongoing harassment. In February, the police were instructed by
the National Land Inspectorate to prosecute the son of one of the owners
although there was no official case against him. And then in March, a young
guard on the property was arrested without warning and placed in custody.
He was subsequently taken to the public prosecutor, who admitted there was
no legal reason to prosecute, and he was finally released a few days later.

Theron explained that the land invasion is the first contravention of the
newly ratified Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement
(BIPPA), signed by Zimbabwe and South Africa last year. The BIPPA is meant
to protect South African owned investments, including land, and was lauded
as key to unlocking millions of rands worth of investment from South Africa.
Theron said the open defiance of this BIPPA is a critical threat to
investment relations with South Africa, which is Zimbabwe's main trading
partner.

"It is also extremely unfortunate that this is taking place at a stage when
South African President Jacob Zuma is engaging with our transitional
government to find a peaceful way forward for the country," said Theron,
adding that the impact on the lucrative tourism sector will be significant.

"These actions are driving away potential tourists and impacting negatively
on the entire SADC region, both from a tourism and investment perspective,"
he said.

Theron also explained that the land is totally unsuitable for 'resettlement'
which is usually the excuse used to justify the ongoing seizures of
productive or commercial land. He said the farm is situated in Zimbabwe's
Ecological Region 6, a region classified as semi-desert, with the lowest
rainfall in the country and the highest recorded evaporation.

"Due to the shallow basalt soils, rocky ridges and lack of natural surface
water, the land is officially categorised as not fit for human habitation
and is also unsuitable for cattle and cropping," Theron said, adding the
takeover is nothing more than theft.

"April 18 is the 30th anniversary of Zimbabwe's independence but we have
nothing to celebrate. We are now totally dependent on the international
donor community for food aid, meaning we are not independent at all" Theron
added.

These Zanu-PF people have no sense of reason about them. If they can f--k up something big time, they certainly will, and in the very best way!

There are very mixed messages coming out of Zim right now. I, frankly, think there has been a false dawn. The 51% thing is not a good sign either. These people don't want to rejoin the global community, they want to take whatever they can while the going is good. The thirst for US dollars is palpable, and game farms bring in cash money. Wouldn't surprise me if there wasn't some kind of minerals play here as well.

With the notable exception of RSA, a persuasive case can be made that there simply is no hope for sub-saharan Africa. The residents of Zim, and elsewhere, appear content to have hideous thugs as their leaders.

Very, very sad.

i think it is funny as hell and ironic at the same time that Mugabe's thugs insist on alienating the only ally they have in southern Africa. how do you say-"I told you so" in Shona???

Police use ZPF vehicles to help game ranch invasion


16 April 2010

Violations of rule of law continue – BIPPA protected Zim ranch

Arthur Ferguson, a horticulturalist on Benfer Citrus Estate, was arrested at his home on Wednesday evening and is being held in a filthy cell at the Beitbridge police station – rural section.

The citrus estate is owned by Arthur’s father, Ian Ferguson, who also built up the nearby Denlynian Game Ranch in Zimbabwe’s dry Beitbridge area into a prized tourism destination.

Arthur has been managing Denlynian in his father’s absence while he is recovering from surgery in South Africa.

Since the owners are South African citizens, both properties are protected by a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement signed by South Africa and Zimbabwe on November 27.

Despite having no grounds for the arrest, Sergeant Mbaiwa refused requests by Ferguson’s lawyer, Mr Tchakalisa, and the Public Prosecutor to release him.

According to the Public Prosecutor, there were no instructions to arrest or detain anyone and the police were only to serve a summons.

However, the papers were so chaotic that he felt he could not handle the case and said it should be referred to the Provincial Magistrate’s Court in Gwanda.

A provisional date of May 5 has been set.

Speaking from South Africa, Ian said that Sergeant Mbaiwa has been threatening the family for more than a year and has become exceptionally provocative and vitriolic.

Ian said his son was deeply concerned because he had been arrested in front of his three young children – the youngest is just four years old – and they had been severely traumatised. His wife was in Bulawayo on business at the time.

The chief game guard on Denlynian Game Ranch was forced by invaders to leave the ranch and take refuge on the Ferguson’s nearby citrus estate, managed by Arthur.

A truck later arrived at the ranch and the occupants began stealing items of value from the lodge. They told the game guard they would be moving in today (Friday).

Arthur’s lawyer confirms that the invasion is totally illegal and, by their own admission, was assisted by the police using Zanu PF vehicles.

quote:

Originally posted by mauser93:
With the notable exception of RSA , a persuasive case can be made that there simply is no hope for sub-saharan Africa. The residents of Zim, and elsewhere, appear content to have hideous thugs as their leaders.

Very, very sad.

Yeah, RSA is like heaven on earth. Well, with the notable exception of RSA's rapes, robberies and murders...

Suspected ZANU-PF Militants Invade Game Ranch in Zimbabwe's Beitbridge District

Ian Ferguson, a white Zimbabwean who owns the Denlynian Game Ranch with his South African children, said the invaders have evicted all of his employees and sealed off the ranch, threatening anyone who refused to comply

Gibbs Dube | Washington 21 April 2010



A game ranch in Zimbabwe's Beitbridge district on the border with South Africa has been invaded by militants believed to be supporters of the ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe, with the reported backing of Matabeleland South Angeline Masuku and Co-Minister of Home Affairs Kembo Mohadi, sources said.

Ian Ferguson, a white Zimbabwean who owns the Denlynian Game Ranch with his South African children, said the invaders have evicted all of his employees and sealed off the ranch. Ferguson said they threatened to kill anyone who resisted their orders to leave the property.

“The invaders are causing havoc as they have started looting at the ranch and threatening to kill workers or anyone not willing to co-operate," Ferguson said.

The invaders appeared to have the full backing of the ZANU-PF party leadership in the province including Masuku, and of Home Affairs Co-Minister Mohadi.

Ferguson told VOA Studio 7 reporter Gibbs Dube that he has sought intervention by South Africa’s Embassy in Harare, invoking the bilateral investment protection agreement signed by the two countries and ratified recently by Zimbabwe’s House of Assembly.

Masuku refused to comment and Home Affairs Co-Minister Mohadi was not reachable.

interesting, I posted this a couple of days ago and it was tossed into the political forum?

If ZANU-PF will condone seizure of land in violation of an agreement with its neighbor, then why would anyone anywhere invest a dime there?

South African farmer accuses Zimbabwe authorities of ethnic cleansing
http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
22 April 2010

South Africa citizen, Ian Ferguson, who built up Denlynian Game Ranch in
Zimbabwe's dry Beitbridge area into a prized tourism destination, has
accused the Zimbabwean authorities of 'ethnic cleansing' under the guise of
land resettlement.

The white commercial farmer is the latest casualty of the government's land
reform programme.

The commercial farmer said he took over the farm when it was derelict 24
years ago and got a 'letter of no interest' from the government. Ferguson
built it up and installed electricity and pumping points, only to have a
group of people calling themselves the 'Zhovi Conservancy' invade the farm
recently.

Ferguson said there is currently widespread looting and asset stripping by
the group who invaded the game ranch last Wednesday. 20 staff members,
including game guards, were evicted and dumped along the Bulawayo road. His
son, Arthur, was arrested in front of his young children and spent a night
behind bars at Beitbridge police station.

The farmer said there is no law and order when it comes to the land issue
and those taking over the ranch include police officers, civil servants,
municipal workers and communal farmers. ZANU PF vehicles were also
reportedly seen on the property.

"The property has the highest density of plains game in Zimbabwe and a very
sensitive ecosystem. Our fear is that they are going to slaughter the game
and destroy it within weeks if not days." Ferguson breeds a unique pack of
wild dogs and the wildlife ranch is home to animals including antelopes,
giraffes, eland, kudus, bushbucks and zebras.

He pointed out that there is a major river that runs through his property
and on the opposite side is land that was purchased by government in the
early 1980s. The farmer said this particular land, which is three times the
size of his wildlife conservation farm, was fully developed when it was
acquired by the authorities but has been completely neglected.

"It's totally derelict with not a single person living on it. So the whole
thing doesn't make any sense at all. It's nothing to do with land
resettlement, it's purely ethnic cleansing. That's all it is."

He said the 'new settlers' claim they have offer letters 'but they won't
give us the offer letters and we have been told that the offer letters are
not legal because they were created in Beitbridge and not by the ministry'.

Ferguson said the South African Embassy in Harare have told him that his
farm is not protected under a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection
Agreement (BIPPA), signed by South Africa and Zimbabwe last year. According
to this agreement any property which was gazetted for acquisition before
2009 is not protected under this BIPPA. He said his farm was originally
gazetted for acquisition in 2007.

He added: "But as a South African citizen the South African government is
still obliged to protect one's interest in foreign countries and we can't
complain, they are doing everything they can and they are being very
cooperative and are concerned."

It is understood the South African embassy has approached the Zimbabwe
Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the issue but it is not known what the
response has been.

Reports also claim that co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi, who comes
from Beitbridge, is behind this latest land invasion, but we have not been
able to get a comment from the Minister.