News / National
Desperate 'Mahofa' farmers resist eviction
31 Jan 2017 at 05:00hrs | Views
Some of the 213 new sugarcane farmers who have been ordered to move out of Tongaat Hullet estates after briefly getting offer letters are resisting eviction.
Their offer letters were withdrawn by the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Douglas Mpombeshora but are allegedly becoming hostile when asked to move.
Sugar Production and Milling Workers Union of Zimbabwe (SPMWUZ) General Secretary Adonia Mutero confirmed the latest development. He said after the issuance of withdrawal letters some of the farmers are threatening Tongaat workers who are moving back to work.
In some places the company has actually been forced to withdraw its workers, said Mutero.
"The company had resumed operations in Section 13 of Triangle and all other sections of both Triangle and Hippo Valley. In section 13 of Triangle the farmers teamed up, came to the workers and intimidated them and the employer had no option but to withdraw them. We are still receiving reports but the situation is the same in Hippo Valley where resumption of work on the fields is being heavily resisted" said Mutero.
Tongaat Hulett resumed operations on the grabbed land after receiving the green light from Permanent Secretary of Lands and Rural Resettlement Ambassador Grace Tsitsi Mutandiro through a letter dated 28 December 2016 and directed to Sydney Mutsambiwa the managing director of the sugar giant. The letter advises Tongaat to assume complete and total control of the sugarcane plots once allocated to the farmers with effect from December 31, 2016.
Their offer letters were withdrawn by the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Douglas Mpombeshora but are allegedly becoming hostile when asked to move.
Sugar Production and Milling Workers Union of Zimbabwe (SPMWUZ) General Secretary Adonia Mutero confirmed the latest development. He said after the issuance of withdrawal letters some of the farmers are threatening Tongaat workers who are moving back to work.
In some places the company has actually been forced to withdraw its workers, said Mutero.
"The company had resumed operations in Section 13 of Triangle and all other sections of both Triangle and Hippo Valley. In section 13 of Triangle the farmers teamed up, came to the workers and intimidated them and the employer had no option but to withdraw them. We are still receiving reports but the situation is the same in Hippo Valley where resumption of work on the fields is being heavily resisted" said Mutero.
Tongaat Hulett resumed operations on the grabbed land after receiving the green light from Permanent Secretary of Lands and Rural Resettlement Ambassador Grace Tsitsi Mutandiro through a letter dated 28 December 2016 and directed to Sydney Mutsambiwa the managing director of the sugar giant. The letter advises Tongaat to assume complete and total control of the sugarcane plots once allocated to the farmers with effect from December 31, 2016.
Source - Masvingo Mirror
