A court judge has slammed the government for stealing a farm from three black Zimbabweans who bought it fair and square. Judge Bongani Ndlovu ruled that officials broke the law when they grabbed Esidakeni Farm without telling the real owners first. The Ministry of Lands ignored all the rules and just took the property anyway. The judge said taking land from black people who paid for it and giving it away free to others makes no sense. He called the whole mess completely against the law.
Three men named Siphosami Malunga, Charles Moyo, and Zephaniah Dhlamini had owned the 550-hectare farm since 2017. They bought shares in the company that runs the farm from the previous owner Jeffrey Swindels. The government published a notice in December 2020 saying they would take the farm. But they never bothered to tell the actual owners or ask for their side of the story. The judge said this broke multiple laws about fair treatment.
Court papers show that a security official named Gatsha Mazithulela had pressured the owners back in 2019. He wanted a piece of the farm and warned them that criticizing the government would cause problems. Former cabinet minister Obert Mpofu later visited the farm and started making plans to divide it up. When the three owners refused to play along, they got charged with illegal occupation of their land. The judge has declared the government seizure completely invalid and ordered officials to pay all court costs.
Three men named Siphosami Malunga, Charles Moyo, and Zephaniah Dhlamini had owned the 550-hectare farm since 2017. They bought shares in the company that runs the farm from the previous owner Jeffrey Swindels. The government published a notice in December 2020 saying they would take the farm. But they never bothered to tell the actual owners or ask for their side of the story. The judge said this broke multiple laws about fair treatment.
Court papers show that a security official named Gatsha Mazithulela had pressured the owners back in 2019. He wanted a piece of the farm and warned them that criticizing the government would cause problems. Former cabinet minister Obert Mpofu later visited the farm and started making plans to divide it up. When the three owners refused to play along, they got charged with illegal occupation of their land. The judge has declared the government seizure completely invalid and ordered officials to pay all court costs.
