Volunteer farm occupants face eviction

By Thembelihle Mhlanga

Illegal farm invaders have vowed to stay put at Volunteer Farm (Zikungwa) in Lupane despite being served with eviction letters.

A group of over forty families who illegally invaded the Zikungwa volunteer Farm have ignored the government`s directive aimed at evicting them by way serving them with eviction letters.

The illegal occupants allege that they were officially allocated the land under dispute by a government lands officer and claim to have invested much on the land.

However the Lupane District Lands Officer Mr Johane Zifunze refused to comment on the development and advised this reporter to get the full story from the source as he was not aware of the developments.

“My friend I do not know what you are talking about. Just go to that very person who told you that story to tell you everything about the it” charged Mr Zifunze.

Nevertheless, the Agritex District Officer for Lupane Ms Sukoluhle Dube confirmed the developments and said that as district Lands officers had visited the farm as it is state land and engaged the illegal settlers on several occasions but the latter remain obdurate.

“We took it as a Lands committee to approach the illegal settlers. Firstly we asked the local Headman Mr King Ngwenya to deliver the message to them but to no avail, we then went to them as a committee and talked to them, but again they did not show any sign nor will to vacate, then we had no option but to serve them with eviction letters” said Ms Dube.

Speaking to this publication, one of the settlers who requested to be named as maNdlovu said they will not be moving out as they paid some money to be allocated stands at Zikungwa farm.

“I can tell you that we are not going anywhere as we paid some monies to get those stands and the District Lands officer came last year and took our names giving us permission to settle, and now after putting in all our effort he is changing goal posts. We are going nowhere” said maNdlovu vehemently.  

The District Development Coordinator Mrs Ennette Sithole referred the matter to both Agritex and Lands officers.

“Since the place is a State Land the personnel in a better position to give you correct information are the District Lands officer and the Agritex officer as the matter is under their jurisdiction”.

The farm in question was initially leased by Mr Terrence Hewitt who was evicted during the 2002 fast track land reformation and it was then offered to Mr Leonard Moyo, etal.

However Mr Moyo said he will deal with the mater legally but lamented the destruction that has taken place at the farm.