via Beitbridge conservancy invaded, tourists kicked out – DailyNews Live by Bridget Mananavire 18 OCTOBER 2013
Invaders on Wednesday stormed a wildlife conservancy in Beitbridge, in a bid to take over a game farm, and in the process harassed foreign guests booked at the lodge.
This comes amid a wildlife conservation crisis in Zimbabwe, as over 100 elephants have died of cyanide poisoning at Hwange National Park.
Ian Ferguson, who together with his family owns the farm, said the “aggressive war veterans’” invasion of the farm was illegal as they did not have any rights whatsoever to the property.
“They were extremely aggressive and demanded that all our staff vacate their quarters and to get off the farm immediately and jerked some of the staff around and demanded the keys to the coldroom as they wanted to steal meat,” Ferguson said.
“They then went down to the Hunting Lodge where we have four overseas hunting clients and two professional hunters.
“They told the professional hunter to pack up and move the clients out which the professional hunter refused to do.”
Some of the war vets identified by Fergurson include Rambelane Choene, Steven Mohadi, the younger brother of Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi, Julias Seziba and Juel Muleya aka Majuta.
Ferguson said a bid to get relief from Beitbridge police was fruitless as they were friendlier to the war vets and started intimidating the professional hunter.
“We got hold of the police in Beitbridge who sent out three plain clothes Law and Order details who demanded that the clients show their passports and then harassed the professional hunter demanding permits etc and then made him take them down to where a problem animal elephant had been shot that National Parks had been informed about and all this at 1:30 in the morning,” Ferguson said.
“This all happened in the company of the war vets who they seemed very chummy with and then eventually left after telling the hunter that he must leave with the clients but did absolutely nothing with regards to the illegal invaders.
“The war vets said they were sent by the district administrator but on phoning him he denied it although we are quite sure that he was aware that it was going to happen and believe or so we were told by a police detail that the lands officer issued them all with new offer letters and told them they could go and occupy their so-called plots.”
Government last month announced that any farm invasion whether on black or white-owned farms was illegal.
Lands and Rural Resettlement minister Douglas Mombeshora said the issue of land redistribution needed to be guided by clear cut laws and policies as the ministry was working towards a Land Commission Bill.
COMMENTS
Once again Zimbabwean law and order being adhered to!
Arrest these bustards. What kind of lunacy is this. What do you want this country to be like. Police harass tourists, and Mzembi is singing that we want to revive the tourist industry. Tourists contribute something to the fiscus and what do you the police and war vet contribute? Chaos!!! Utter chaos. Can’t we have an educated police force for once. Things like this happen and I bet Chihuri and Mugabe have heard these reports and they choose to keep quite. We say we have law in the country. Fokoro!!! Fokoro!!! You are just good at ruining our country no wonder why you no longer have respect. Stupid, lawless and unlearned warvets, I’m refering to the ones who invaded this farm. And to you the cops, you should be expelled from the force because you are PATHETIC. As for the tourist, hope you understand that in every county there are always some notoriously unruly elements.
After holding an international tourist conference in Vic Falls this is devastating and the bobo’s who did this shound be hung drawn and quartered. What the heck have we got ourselves into???
I do not even want to think what dammage this is going to do to the tourism industry. Blatant arrogant and irresponsible supidity of the highest degree.
Wild West..someone could profit from making movies depicting this madness..
I think the Shadow minister of MDC should do something like tell one of your collegues in Parliament to ask Mzembi if this is what the conferance we hosted was about. Inviting tourists so that we can harass them. The bad thing is that these policemen and even the warvets will just get away with this. Shame on you Mugabe, basa rekungosunga vanhu vanokutuka.
Just a question on tourists. I was up in zim 7 years ago and had terrible time getting through beit bridge and every road block was a problem trying to keep our stuff from been taken by your nasty police. Is this sill going on as I intend visiting in the future.