Maravi

(ZIMBABWE GUARDIAN) Of insulting black people who lost their land

Of insulting black people who lost their land
By: Frank Banda
Posted: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 8:12 pm

MR Ben Freeth has spoken on SW Radio saying that "justice has eventually been made after 10 years" when news of the seizure of Zimbabwe Government properties in South Africa broke. We hope that Mr Freeth will extend the same right to many Zimbabweans who for over 120 years have lost their property to his kith and kin.

The Chegutu farmer should also know that the properties attached in South Africa do not belong to Zanu-PF, but to the government of Zimbabwe, regardless of what party is in power.

Surely, when Mr Freeth speaks about property rights, I hope he realises that the Liberation Struggle in Zimbabwe is about property rights, specifically black property rights.

The same arrogant tone was also sounded by Roy Bennett, MDC-T treasurer facing terrorism charges.

Speaking on the same station on the same day, he laughed off the fact that he was being charged, albeit after nine years, for hoarding maize in 2001. Mr Bennett always talks about the rule of law in Zimbabwe, he should be the first to submit himself to the rule of law.

If he had more grain than he was supposed to have, then he has to be charged. Many other people have been charged under the same law, why should Bennett be spared? It does not matter whether he was facing other charges or not. He possessed 92,289 tonnes of maize that he did not declare, and that is a crime.

Who is he trying to fool saying he was keeping that much maize for his staff?

Rightly so, Bennett was charged for contravening Section 40(a) of the Grain Marketing Board Act Chapter 18:14 as read with Statutory Instrument 240(a) of 2001.

Ben Freeth should know that his move is an insult to all black people who have lost property, life and limb fighting for their rights and their land; some of which was spiritual land grazed to open up farming for the white commercial farmer.

Using the same logic, I would like to think that Freeth will not complain when his farm is taken by those who claim it's their sacred land.

Labels: BEN FREETH, LAND REFORM, ROY BENNETT, SANCTIONS, WHITE FARMERS

posted by MrK @ 3:30 PM