THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 10 2010 00:20 | LAST UPDATED Feb 10 2010 00:20 |
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A bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement between South Africa and Zimbabwe is unconstitutional and will be challenged in court, AfriForum said on Wednesday. "It excludes people [farmers] historically deprived of property as a result of a compulsory acquisition, of land expropriation," the organisation's legal representative Willie Spies told a press briefing in Pretoria. He said the signing of the agreement, scheduled for Friday, would be challenged in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday. "The agreement contains a so-called exclusion clause. It's discrimination, it's unlawful." AgriSA President Johannes Moller said the agreement would not take into account historical ownership of land or agricultural investment up to the date of its signing. Only future investment would be protected, he said. "It's unacceptable, the state of current investments will not be protected under this agreement." Moller said AgriSA was not against an investment deal, but said there had not been proper consultation about it. Deon Theron from Zimbabwe's Commercial Farmers Union said it was a "huge mistake" to sign the agreement. "This agreement cannot be signed because it has flaws, serious flaws." Louis Fick, also from the CPU, said farmers in the neighbouring country had for about eight years asked for government's involvement. "Unfortunately we never got that support from the [South African] embassy." Fick is also facing possible imprisonment in Zimbabwe after he refused to leave his farm. Spies said if the agreement was signed, it would leave no legal protection for Fick as it would safeguard him against his rights of ownership. Earlier during the AgriSA conference with frustrated farmers who had lost their farms or faced that possibility, one farmer said he felt betrayed by the Zimbabwean government. "We were asked [by President Robert Mugabe] to please stay. For 20 to 30 years government was happy to take our taxes. We didn't change, the government changed. "It's 30 years after Robert Mugabe's words. We believe their must be compensation. Your pension was your farm. I feel genuinely betrayed and I also feel the same about the South African government," the elderly farmer said. Bennie Fourie, a Zimbabwean national who also lost his farm to expropriation, said: "I've farmed for 24 years, it's total discrimination. I am a white Zimbabwean farmer with three generations of workers on the farm. They've suffered just like me," said Fourie. -- Sapa TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
Comments
when our forefathers' land was robbed at gun point from us in 1896 who compansated us , this riacial blindess has to stop first it was zimbabwe within the next 4 years we will be claiming back our heritage in south africa no compansation to any one be it indian white or otherwise
eric khumalo on November 26, 2009, 3:09 am
White Rhodesian farmers are not going to succeed with this lawsuit. Even if they were to succeed and get back land, occupying those lands will be impossible and it will be blood and messy!! Black Zimbabwean farmers will not give in to a few ex-colonialist and racists murderous farmers.
Rhodesian white farmers have become such a big political liability, that no Zimbabwean politician wants to support them. It has become a total useless cause. Which Zimbabwean chief will agree to a legal vindict in Namibia? I do not think Zimbabweans are that crazy to reverse land reform, which is working for most people working he land. White farmers are not the "Bread and Butter" of Zimbabwe or Africa.. For crying out loud, they ceased farming 10 years ago! Yet Rhodesian propaganda still says they are the "bread& basket" of Africa..A flat out lie. Some of these farmers did recieved compensation and agreed to it. Britain promised to reimburse the white Rhodesia farmers. If Rhodesian farmers want to be reimbursed, they should contact the British gov't. Dr Jamieson had the maxime gun when he invaded Zimbabwe and took over most of arable land for white people..Zimbabwe now has the machine guns..dare come to reclaim anything....it will be bloody!
zodwa sibanda on November 26, 2009, 3:20 am
sibanda: Didnt mugabe take all the British compensation for himself?
Sinudeity @gmail.com on November 26, 2009, 6:45 am
Zodwa you are living on another planet. It was the bread basket when the white farmers and their black workers were there. It now is in disarray relying on the West for basic food etc.
Stop smoking the ganga and maybe you will be able to think logically. Good point Sinudeity
Lee van Zyl on November 26, 2009, 9:17 am
Zimbabwean land was taken Through murder & theft I don't feel anything for the white farmers....anyway I'm sure they do have lots of money stashed somewhere in Europe or the US.they really don't need any compensation their farming of the land was like paying rent for occupying someone else's property.we should do the same here people are still landless & govt is offering compensation but the whites don't want it.
Cigar & Cognac comrade on November 26, 2009, 10:23 am
Cigar & Cognac comrade: There is the landbank. Its just a pity that over R2 billion, intended for the landless, got stolen by a handful of self-serving individuals.
And PS, the ANC is protecting these unnamed individuals. As for Zim, the land will NEVER belong to black Zimbabweans. It belongs to Bob. Perhaps you dont know about the conditions of 'land distribution' in Zim. It never belongs to the new owners. The government can take it back anytime they want to.
Sinudeity @gmail.com on November 26, 2009, 10:33 am
Sinudeity,
STOP THE DAMN LIES!!!!!!!!!!
Proudly_South African Proudly_South African on November 26, 2009, 10:55 am
Proudly_South African: LOL!!! EVERYTHING I say is carefully researched, and backed up with fact. Unlike what you and your buddies *cough*moxie*cough* call fact, when indeed, its just thumbsuck.
Are you denying that money was STOLEN from the landbank? Are you denying that the ANC is protecting the individuals? Which part was a lie? Please tell me.
Sinudeity @gmail.com on November 26, 2009, 11:10 am
Proudly,
STOP THE DAMNED IGNORANCE!!!!!!!!!!
Sinudeity @gmail.com on November 26, 2009, 11:11 am
Proudly South African, you sound like a cry baby who cannot take teasing. Do you as well stamp your foot like a spoilt child when you do not get your away? Naivety is cute in a child, but unacceptable in an adult
Lee van Zyl on November 26, 2009, 11:39 am
This Afriforum makes me laugh when they say, "It excludes people [farmers] historically deprived of property as a result of a compulsory acquisition, of land expropriation." Exactly when does this history start? Does it start in 2000 or 1890? When is history, history? Whose history is it anyway?
The judge must throw this lawsuit out with costs at the highest scale possible. If you base your lawsuit on history with all the history books detailing how the same people Afriforum wants protected also expropriated land compulsorily from Africans where will it stop? Afriforum is a bunch of jokers!
Fungayi Dzvinyangoma on November 27, 2009, 12:03 pm
@Lee Van Zyl you are just full of soar grapes! Get over it, Rhodesia was so pumped up with "hot air" that reality makes no sense to a whole lot of you.
Yes, we live in different planets, I'm surprised that under your white dictorship you never realized that! The white master with African servants just does not cut it anymore!! Most of you are just so ignorant about what is taking place. I highly recommend you go to the planet Jupiter!! White Rhodesians are the "Bread & Butter" of Africa!! What a joke...They have not been farming the last 10 years. And Zimbabwe will not allow them to farm....You white Africans are spoiled!! Take a drive in Jo'burg and see for yourself some of the white homeless people..Maybe you will know what planet you are on!
zodwa sibanda on November 28, 2009, 7:42 am
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