via Land audit committee threatens to flush out illegal settlers – NewsDay March 20, 2015
A GOVERNMENT land audit committee in Midlands Province has threatened to flush out over 7 000 informal settlers who illegally resettled themselves on commercial farms accusing them of disrupting production and causing massive land degradation.
In its report, the audit team led by Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Jason Machaya, said Shurugwi district had 5 571 illegal settlers who invaded commercial farms at the height of election campaigns.
Gokwe had a total of 1 160 illegal settlers.
“There are 7 330 informal settlers in the Midlands province. Most informal settlements take place during election periods. Informal settlement should never be condoned for it brings about land degradation and disorder,” read part of the report.
Zanu PF legislators often promote illegal farm grabs as a campaign gimmick.
The audit committee noted that most of the settlers were failing to utilise the land and contributing to the current food shortages.
“District committees must deal with these decisively. The policy position is that no one is allowed to resettle himself/herself on any piece of land. The Gazetted Land (Consequential Provisions) Act prohibits this on gazetted land, which once gazetted, becomes State land.
“People who resettle themselves are illegal settlers or squatters who must be removed by either squatter control committees, or the owner of the land (i.e. on private, held land) or lessee i.e. on leased land like small scale commercial farms,” the report read.
Machaya’s committee upheld government’s decision to allow commercial dairy farmers to retain their farms.
“The incumbents operating the (dairy) farms should be recommended to continue with dairy production. This was brought about by a realization that dairy production requires intensive and heavy capital outlays investments.
“There is also a certain threshold of experience required to make dairy farming viable and sustainable. It was also noted that there has been a drastic decline of milk production since the beginning of the land reform programme,” the report said.
COMMENTS
Every farm grabbed, without the handover of Title Deeds, has illegal settlers on it.
What is this I am reading….. huh ??
A GOVERNMENT land audit committee in Midlands Province has threatened to flush out over 7 000 informal settlers who illegally resettled themselves on commercial farms accusing them of disrupting production and causing massive land degradation.
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO…A MILLION TIMES NO.
We must continue with illegal settlements! Zanu PF started this ball rolling by grabbing and looting and land degradation so let it spill onto their A1 and A2 properties also …. Ye shall reap that we yea have sown!
HOW CAN THE LANDS OFFICIALS LEGALISE THEFT BY GIVING A 40 YEAR OLD MASHONA BOY, ONE R MSHINGAIDZE LAND IN THE RELIGIOUS DISTRICT OF MY PEOPLE. WE SHALL OVER COME. WELL DONE BATHU BE SHUNMBA SHABA. WE SALUTE AND SUPPORT YOU
To be honest I feel a bit sorry for the settlers,
first yayyyyyy you can take it!
Then they are supposed to feed the nation with very little expertise or finance because on ill gotten farms there is little way to borrow.
and then they are going to be flushed out again……….
Poor people have been led by the nose for years and years
LOL – I agree with Doris and the rest, they are ALL illegal if “acquired” (i.e stolen) and not bought.
ZANU is evil and ruinous to our country.
People like you, “Hango Yapalala” are also deluded.
You think you are so superior to the amasvina.
The thing to do is fight ZANU as a united nation, black, white, mushona, mundevere, etc etc.
AM NOT DELUDED, SIR/MADAM, ALL AM AFTER IS THE LAND OF MY FOREFATHERS WHICH THE MASHONA HAVE STOLEN UNDER THE GUISE OF LAND DISTRIBUTION! REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO THE KIKUYU IN KENYA. IT WILL HAPPEN HERE! BUKALANGA NDIYO HANGO YEDU! AM NOT ASKING FOR LAND IN MASHONALAND!
This whole land distribution is tainted by the fact that the biggest beneficiaries were Zanu PF officials and not the “people”. Even if people were to benefit it should have been in an orderly manner whereby farmers would have been fully compensated before the land is given to deserving people.
So in the same vein of disorderliness people like @Hanga Yapalala see local people being displayed by people like Mashingaidze who are not local and I think that is the bone of contention.
The whole thing is also shrouded in corruption which is the currency in which the Mugabe regime has the best expertise and trade in on a day to day basis.
HY, I SUPPORT YOUR ARGUMENT. MBAVA HAVE STOLEN HANGO YEDU, YEBUKALANGA!