No SA nationals lost land — Harare

THE Zimbabwean government has denied claims that South African nationals and investors may have lost their land when the country embarked on its land seizure programme in 1999.

HARARE — The Zimbabwean government has denied claims that South African nationals and investors may have lost their land when the country embarked on its land seizure programme in 1999 despite the existence of a bilateral investment promotion treaty between the two countries.

Deputy Trade and Industry Minister Elizabeth Thabethe, who is leading a delegation of South African businessmen seeking investment opportunities in Zimbabwe, said its mission was to “make sure inter-Africa trade grow(s)”. Ms Thabethe said in Harare yesterday that the Zimbabwean government had to address concerns about South African businesses and farmers who may have lost their land during the farm invasions which characterised Zimbabwe’s bid to take land from white commercial farmers. Analysts have blamed the haphazard and violent exercise for Zimbabwe’s drop in agricultural productivity.

“The Zimbabwean government … should answer questions regarding the issue of the farms or businesses lost during that period,” she told journalists on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe business investment conference. Ms Thabethe was responding to a question on whether her government had received compensation for expropriated farms.

Zimbabwean Deputy Finance and Economic Planning Minister Samuel Undenge said there were “no cases of South Africans who have lost farms”. “If you have any specific cases of farmers who lost their land during the reform programme bring them to our attention and we will be more than happy to respond and give the necessary information.”