via Govt pays ‘approved white’ Billy for land – NewZimbabwe 16/12/2015
DESPITE the Harare administration declaring white former farmers will not be paid for land seized under its violent land reforms, ethanol tycoon and alleged Zanu PF financier Billy Rautenbach will be an exception, it has emerged.
Rautenbach owns land in Harare seized by Zanu PF legislator and land baron, Innocent Pedzisayi, who developed an illegal 1,000-unit settlement on the property.
The tycoon was demanding between $19,000 and $24,000 from each of the settlers which could net him up to $24 million.
Benecifiaries of the illegal settlement were paying Pedzisayi’s INNOP Investment Private Ltd company for their houses.
And while government has ordered the destruction of other illegal settlements around Harare, this particular development would be spared, local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere said this week.
Kasukuwere effectively described Pedzisayi as a “criminal” without stating what, if any, action would be taken against him.
The minister, who toured the settlement with Rautenbach, said beneficiaries would now pay the local authority for the houses and not Pedzisayi’s company.
“What it means now is that you (beneficiaries) will pay your money to council not these criminals,” said Kasukuwere in apparent reference to INNOP Investment Private Ltd.
Kasukuwere said Rautenbach would be compensated for the land on which the settlement was built.
The businessman also owns industrial land were some 200 houses were destroyed by the local authority last week.
Kasukuwere said the industrial real estate would be returned to the tycoon.
Rautenbach developed the multi-million dollar ethanol project in Chisumbanje in the eastern Manicaland province which has also been rocked by controversy.
Despite spirited resistance from its coalition partners in the last unity government, Zanu PF forced through mandatory blending of petrol with ethanol in a development that would principally benefit Rautenbach’s company.
COMMENTS
And so a precedent has been set. Why is he more white than the rest of us?
@Doris : I think you mean ‘why is he more black than the rest of us’? A despicable man, interested only in his own gain.
I think its urban land not agricultural……