Moffat evicted from Nyamandlovu farm

Bruce Moffat, the white commercial farmer from Insiza, who is the grandson of a former Rhodesian Prime Minister, has been evicted from Oaklands Farm which was acquired by the government for resettlement.

Moffat, grandson to Howard Unwin Moffat, Southern Rhodesia's second premier from 1927 to 1933, was dragged to court by a Bulawayo woman, Sibongile Shava for refusing to vacate the farm.

Sibongile, a widow of the late Vice-President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo's driver, Colleen Shava, was allocated Sub-division Two of the farm, but Moffat disputed her ownership of the property.

He argued the small claims court did not have jurisdiction over the matter as it only attended to matters involving property or cash not exceeding $10 000 and the farm's value ran into hundreds of thousands of dollars.

However, Bulawayo Magistrate Singandu Jele said Moffat's claim was void because the land ceased to have value once it was designated for resettlement.

Moffat showed the court a recommendation letter issued by officials from the lands office in Filabusi authorising him to retain two thirds of the farm, but the magistrate ruled the letter could not supersede Shava's offer letter, which was signed by the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Douglas Mombeshora.

"You are accordingly ordered to vacate the farm forthwith," said Jele.

Shava had approached the Small Claims courts seeking an order to evict Moffat from the property.

Moffat queried the authenticity of the document which she presented, authorising her to settle at the farm saying it had no date stamp among other things.

Oakland Farm has been at the centre of controversy since 2013 when Shava was allocated the land by the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement.