MATABELELAND South commercial farmer David Connolly has vowed to continue piling pressure on President Robert Mugabe’s aide Ray Ndhlukula to force him out of his Centenary Farm in Figtree.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
Connolly told Southern Eye yesterday that he would not give up on the farm although Ndhlukula had defied several court orders to vacate property.
Ndhlukula, who is the deputy chief secretary in the Office of the President, has been trying to wrest control of the farm since last year claiming to have been given an offer letter for it.
“While the court system has been frustrating, we certainly haven’t given up.
“I will not give up,” Connolly said.
“He (Ndhlukula) has been trying to frustrate the system, but we are not giving up. Instead, we are increasing pressure on him until he vacates the farm.”
Recent reports have shown that Ndhlukula owns two other farms, Wilfred Hope and Vlakfontein (also known as Sub-division 2 in Marula) which are both in Matabeleland South Province.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
He evicted Connolly’s workers and their families although the High Court barred him from setting foot at Centenary Farm.
Recently, the Supreme Court which sat in Bulawayo struck off the roll Ndhlukula’s appeal to challenge a High Court ruling which had ordered him to vacate the farm.
Sadc Tribunal Rights Watch Zimbabwe spokesperson Ben Freeth castigated the move by Ndhlukula, adding it would be impossible for Zimbabwe to deal with food shortages with “greedy people in power that grabbed farms, businesses and ignored court orders”.
In March, Ndhlukula was sentenced to 90 days in prison for defying court orders barring him from evicting Connolly and his workers. But instead police arrested the commercial farmer for remaining on his farm.
Ndhlukula was also taken to court in June by Connolly’s workers who challenged their eviction from the farm.
The top civil servant once described the workers as “squatters”.
