Opinion / Columnist
Tables turn in Esidakeni farm saga
17 Aug 2022 at 17:56hrs | Views
The tables have turned in the Esidakeni Farm wrangle after 2 of the 3 directors were arrested by police last week and they were brought before the courts.
Zeph Dlamini was arrested while trying to flee from the police and Charles Moyo was arrested while he was hiding at a concubine's place. Sipho Malunga subsequently presented himself to the authorities.
Sipho Malunga announced the arrests on his Twitter handle saying, "my co-directors at Esidakeni Farm were arrested.This is blatant abuse of power, state resources, institutions and officials. Aim is to undermine judicial decisions by the High and Supreme Courts; politically persecute us and violate our fundamental rights. We are not afraid!
There was no need to arrest them after our lawyers had arranged with the Nyamandlovu Police Officer in Charge Matangi to present ALL of us at the same time. Why arrest them on Sunday night when they knew we were going there. I too will present myself. We have done nothing wrong."
Malunga and his co directors are guilty of contravening the Gazetted lands Act for refusing to vacate a farm gazetted by government.
Philip Valentine suffered the same fate after he refused to vacate his Odzi farm. Mr. Cawood was also convicted by the courts after he refused to vacate Nuanetsi ranch.
Sipho Malunga has failed to prove that he owns the farm and he has equally failed to prove how he acquired it .
Esidakeni Farm was legally gazetted and acquired by government. Sipho Malunga and his directors have been defiant refusing to leave the farm and using diversionary tactics to stay on the farm.
There is a false narrative which seeks to politicize the Esidakeni farm saga while claiming that it is Obert Mpofu who has invaded the farm.
Facts have proven that the farm was legally and procedurally gazetted by government and Sipho Malunga has been fighting Obert Mpofu instead of focusing on the Lands Act which was used to gazette the farm. Obert Mpofu and several other families are merely beneficiaries of the government land reform program.
Nicholas Ncube
Socio Political Analyst
Zeph Dlamini was arrested while trying to flee from the police and Charles Moyo was arrested while he was hiding at a concubine's place. Sipho Malunga subsequently presented himself to the authorities.
Sipho Malunga announced the arrests on his Twitter handle saying, "my co-directors at Esidakeni Farm were arrested.This is blatant abuse of power, state resources, institutions and officials. Aim is to undermine judicial decisions by the High and Supreme Courts; politically persecute us and violate our fundamental rights. We are not afraid!
There was no need to arrest them after our lawyers had arranged with the Nyamandlovu Police Officer in Charge Matangi to present ALL of us at the same time. Why arrest them on Sunday night when they knew we were going there. I too will present myself. We have done nothing wrong."
Malunga and his co directors are guilty of contravening the Gazetted lands Act for refusing to vacate a farm gazetted by government.
Philip Valentine suffered the same fate after he refused to vacate his Odzi farm. Mr. Cawood was also convicted by the courts after he refused to vacate Nuanetsi ranch.
Sipho Malunga has failed to prove that he owns the farm and he has equally failed to prove how he acquired it .
Esidakeni Farm was legally gazetted and acquired by government. Sipho Malunga and his directors have been defiant refusing to leave the farm and using diversionary tactics to stay on the farm.
There is a false narrative which seeks to politicize the Esidakeni farm saga while claiming that it is Obert Mpofu who has invaded the farm.
Facts have proven that the farm was legally and procedurally gazetted by government and Sipho Malunga has been fighting Obert Mpofu instead of focusing on the Lands Act which was used to gazette the farm. Obert Mpofu and several other families are merely beneficiaries of the government land reform program.
Nicholas Ncube
Socio Political Analyst
Source - Nicholas Ncube
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