COMMENT - First Gideon Gono, now Deon Theron joins the bandwagon. I want to see their data, just to make sure they aren't pulling their numbers from somewhere. Because there is plenty of data to show that most of the land went to ordinary people, under the A1 and even A2 land redistribution programmes. What Deon Theron does not address is the impact of the credit freeze the government was put under by ZDERA, since Jan. 1 2002. To him, as the head of the Commercial Farmers Union, it was all land redistribution that did it, and that of course is highly suspicious.
Land reforms cost economy $12bn, claims CFU
03/08/2011 00:00:00
by AFP
ZIMBABWE'S land reforms have cost the economy US$12 billion in lost agricultural production over the past decade, the mainly white Commercial Farmers' Union said Wednesday.
President Robert Mugabe's government has publicly insisted that the land reforms were necessary to correct colonial-era injustices by resettling blacks on white-owned land, and that no one should have more than one farm. But CFU president Deon Theron said that Mugabe and his family now own 39 farms, according to a survey by the union.
"Records show that the majority of land has been given to senior politicians, senior members of the security forces, judges, so-called 'ar veterans, civil servants, high-profile clerics and relatives of senior politicians," Theron said.
"For example, President Mugabe and his family own 39 farms," Theron said in the report.
Mugabe launched a land reform programme in 2000 which saw the seizure of more than 3,000 of the country's 4,500 white-owned farms by militant supporters of his party.
Once a food exporter, Zimbabwe has since relied on international aid to feed all of its people.
Theron blamed the land seizures for the collapse of Zimbabwe's economy over the past decade.
"Previously highly productive farms that have been acquired by the government are now producing either very little or nothing," he said.
"Sadly we will once again be unable to feed the nation, and will have to rely on costly imports while vast tracts of prime agricultural land lie unutilised."
The United Nations on Tuesday said Zimbabwe requires an additional $73 million in food aid to avert hunger caused by drought which affected several parts of the country.
Zimbabwe's needs had already been estimated at $415 million this year, but the drought has worsened food shortages in parts of the country, the United Nations said.
Labels: CFU, DEON THERON, LAND REFORM
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White farmer to lead Business Council of Zimbabwe
By: Our reporter
Posted: Sunday, August 22, 2010 11:00 pm
THE controversial president of the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), Mr Deon Theron, has assumed the leadership of the Business Council of Zimbabwe taking over from Mr Victor Gapare of the Chamber of Mines.
The CFU took over the council's presidency last month and its term will expire on 31 December; so naturally Mr Theron becomes BCZ president. Mr Theron is one of the key white farmer figures in the country who have been against the land reform programme which started in 2000.
He has constantly clashed with government over his comments about the reform programme.
His deputy is Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe president Mr David Govere, who will take over the BCZ presidency in December when CFU's tenure expires.
Mr Theron said his appointment as the president of the council reflected the views of the members of the council.
“We want to move forward as Zimbabweans and I am grateful that all the members of the BCZ are united,” he said.
Mr Theron said the biggest challenge facing businesses was the unavailability of lines of credit and the intermittent power outages adding that by next week after the handover of the council's files he would be in a safe position to map the council's way forward.
“Obviously as the BCZ what we have to do is to look at the current issues affecting the operations of businesses in this country. We have to come up with resolutions and speak with one voice as business,” he said.
The BCZ is a nine-member business association and its members comprise CFU, Chamber of Mines, Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries, Zimbabwe Council of Tourism, Zimbabwe Farmers Union, Bankers Association of Zimbabwe, EMCOZ, Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce and the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union.
The council is in the process of establishing an economic research unit that will provide independent research and analysis to guide stakeholders, including Government and business, in policy decisions.
The Chamber of Mines was charged with spearheading the establishment of the research unit and its chief executive, Dr Chris Hokonya, on Tuesday said they had made progress towards establishing the research unit.
Labels: BUSINESS COUNCIL OF ZIMBABWE, DEON THERON
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Zim govt planning more farm seizures – CFC
By Kingsley Kaswende in Harare, Zimbabwe
Thu 04 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT
THE Commercial Farmers Union of Zimbabwe (CFU) has said the Zimbabwean government has targeted to seize 152 farms of the remaining 300 still in the hands of white farmers.
CFU president Deon Theron said yesterday that over 80 farms had been seized since the formation of the inclusive government one year ago. He said the continued farm seizures violated the principles of the Global Political Agreement that established the inclusive government, which called for a stop to land seizures.
“The land invasions have intensified in the past year, with the forced seizure of more than 80 farms since last February. 152 of the 300 farms still in operation are now being targeted for eviction. The CFU deplores the government’s failure to stop the ongoing violence against farmers and their workers, and for allowing a handful of thugs to operate with complete impunity. The ongoing attacks violate the basic principles of the Global Political Agreement (GPA),” Theron said.
“We implore the unity government to take a stand and halt the land invasions, so that we can start the process of rebuilding our agricultural sector for the sake of the entire country.”
Theron’s comments come in the wake of the arrest of two farmers in the remote district of Chipinge south-west of the country, and the conviction of four others for refusing to leave their properties.
The convicted four each received a fine of US $800 and suspended sentences. They were also given ultimatums ranging from one day to one month to leave their farms.
CFU accused a magistrate prosecuting the farmers of being an intended beneficiary of one of the farms.
“CFU is extremely concerned that magistrate Zuze, who is being accused of ‘grossly exceeding his jurisdiction’ is a beneficiary of Jahme’s farm. CFU obtained a copy of an offer letter to Zuze, offering him Jahme’s Newcastle Farm. It is unacceptable for a magistrate to preside over a trial in which he holds a personal stake. Furthermore, before court proceedings had been concluded, supporters and hired thugs were already on two of the farms,” Theron said.
The controversial land seizures of the past 10 years has seen 4,000 farms formerly owned by white farmers being seized for redistribution to landless blacks.
It is this exercise that caused the collapse of Zimbabwe over the last decade. While the Zimbabwean government blames the collapse of the country on sanctions that came as a result of the land seizures as well as chronic droughts, the West blames the country’s collapse on reduced agricultural production by inexperienced farm recipients.
Labels: CFCU, DEON THERON, LAND REFORM
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White farmers up stakes in land dispute
by
10/01/2010 00:00:00
THE Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) claims there has seen a marked up-tick in “farm invasions” by President Robert Mugabe’s supporters in the new year adding efforts to attract international investment would come to naught unless the disturbances are stopped.
Some of the white farmers still on the ground are apparently ramping up publicity over the emotive land reforms in a bid to increase international pressure on the country’s inclusive government.
Zanu PF says there are no new farm seizures in the country and insists beneficiaries of its land reforms are simply moving onto legally acquired land which some of the white farmers have been refusing to leave.
Meanwhile, the CFU’s comments came at the same time a documentary titled “Mugabe and the White African” that is being described as “(demonstrating) one family's extraordinary courage in the face of a relentless campaign of state-sanctioned terror” has attracted widespread media attention in the United Kingdom and other western capitals.
The documentary was covertly shot in Zimbabwe and tells the story of Chegutu farmer Mike Campbell and his son-in-law, Ben Freeth who are refusing to vacate a property the government says it wants for resettlement.
The CFU which represents about 150 of the remaining 300 white farmers says the inclusive government has failed to act against “farm invasions” by supporters of President Mugabe.
"The new year has presented nothing but more troubles for farmers and it is a serious situation. Farmers would have preferred to be in the fields. But they are constantly being harassed.
"The police still fail to act on court orders protecting farmers, while the law is being abused to dispossess people of their property on the basis of race," CFU President Deon Theron said.
The CFU leader claimed that there has been a significant upsurge in the “invasions” since President Mugabe told his Zanu PF party congress last December that “white Zimbabweans” did not exist.
"We thought the formation of the coalition government was the beginning of democracy in terms of respect for property rights and rule of law, but the opposite is what is happening.
"This is counter-productive in a country that was beginning to show positive moves in its economy and has a negative impact in the re-engagement with the international community.
"No investor wants to put their money in a country that has no respect for property rights. What is really disturbing is that there is no prosecution of these people who are violating the law,” Theron said.
The CFU also alleged that Zanu PF secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa threatened Rusape-based farmer, Gavin Woest with death if he did not vacate his property.
But Mutasa dismissed the claims saying: "These white people create stories. I have not gone to America or Britain to look for land. I get my land in Zimbabwe which is my country. What is wrong with that?”
Labels: DEON THERON, DIDYMUS MUTASA, LAND REFORM, WHITE FARMERS
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Commercial farmers accuse Tsvangirai of playing down invasion
Written by Kingsley Kaswende in Harare
Wednesday, May 27, 2009 1:45:13 AM
The Commercial farmers Union (CFU) of Zimbabwe has accused Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of playing down the allegedly continuing farm invasions around the country in order to secure aid from donors.
CFU vice president Deon Theron said the allegedly continuing farm attacks in Zimbabwe were evidence that little had changed since the formation of the inclusive government.
He was responding to Tsvangirai’s statement over the weekend in which he referred to the alleged farm attacks as “isolated incidents that had been blown out of proportion.”
But Theron issued a statement stating that Tsvangirai’s statements were a clear attempt to “gloss over the truth to encourage Western donors to loosen their purse strings.”
Theron stated that Tsvangirai was deliberately playing down the problem because the government was desperate to secure foreign investment.
He said Tsvangirai’s comments were “absurd” that farm attacks had drastically increased since Tsvangirai was sworn into the government in February.
“It is like hoodwinking the international community into giving up funds by making them believe everything is fine on the agricultural front,” said Theron, who was arrested in March for video-taping the accident scene at which Tsvangirai’s wife died before police arrived.
Theron warned that if agriculture in Zimbabwe did not recover, then Zimbabwe would not recover. During an interview about the 100-day milestone of the Global Political Agreement, Tsvangirai said farm attacks had dwindled.
“We have investigated examples of those so-called farm invasions,” he said. “We have asked the minister of lands to give us a detailed report of what has been happening over all these so called farm invasions and the outcry over that.”
Labels: CFU, DEON THERON, LAND REFORM, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
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COMMENT - Eddie Cross says 'it was not an accident' - well how does he know? How come Deon Theron was on the scene before the police? And now Cross talks about a front tire having given out? They seem to fall all over themselves to incriminate themselves. Let's remember that it was the MDC that wanted to keep state security personnel away from protect the Prime Minister.
Eddie Cross please explain the accident further?
Comment
Tue, 24 Mar 2009 03:06:00 +0000
I AM still puzzled and perplexed by Eddie Cross's narration of the events of the crash that killed Mrs Susan Tsvangirai and left the Prime Minister badly hurt. Cross made the headlines in the last few months over his "crash and burn" article; but that is not the gist of this piece.
He told the New York Times newspaper a day after the crash that it had not been an accident, and said
the MDC-T party will not accept a police report. Besides being preposterous, Cross sounded like he had some insider information about the accident. I will not ask questions as to why the New York Times newspaper had an interview with Cross, and not the party spokesman, Nelson Chamisa. This is a matter between Cross and that newspaper.
However, I am yet to hear of someone who gets to the scene of the accident from 10 kilometres away, before the police, and climbs the top of the accident vehicle to take pictures, before attempting to rescue the victims. This is what Mr Deon Theron, the Deputy President of the Commercial Farmers' Union, did on that fateful day.
He examined the vehicle; but did not "rescue" the victims -- the high profile victims. It is worrisome that it was more important for Mr Theron to take footage, rather than try and rescue the victims.
We know that Mrs Tsvangirai was badly hurt at that juncture, and so was the Prime Minister. Why did Mr Theron not attend to them? Surely that would have been the reason why he rushed to the site? Or was it? If not, does this say something about the judgment of Mr Theron, or his attitude to "accident victims"?
It is also shocking to discover that Cross had more specific details about the
"burst front tyre", the
"loose under-carriage as a result of the accident", and other accident details; but no information on the state of the victims, Mr and Mrs Tsvangirai, when he spoke to the New York Times. Anyone who has had an opportunity to visit an accident site immediately after the accident would tell you that the state of the vehicle is never on their mind -- the condition of the victim(s) is. But not Mr Theron who preferred to climb the overturned vehicle and take pictures.
Was Mr Theron not at least concerned that an overturned vehicle could burst into flames and kill him, or the victims? I am sure Mr Theron would have seen the Prime Minister or his wife lying down somewhere, or would have at least known that the inhabitants of the car were the Tsvangirai's as he had previously communicated with whoever informed him about the accident (see below). Why then was he less concerned about the welfare of the Prime Minister and his wife, and more concerned about "the scene of the accident"?
Mr Theron's version of the accident, which is disputed by other eyewitnesses, could not have been accurate. Dennis Murira, director of public affairs in the prime minister’s office was told a different version of events. The truck driver told the police that he had fallen asleep at the wheel, said Murira. So why would Mr Cross deny a police report?
Mr Theron was 10 kilomteres away when the accident happened? The eyewitnesses, surely would have had a more accurate version as they were there when the crash occured. Why did Mr Cross then rely on Mr Theron's version when he was not an eyewitness? How long did it take Mr Theron to get to the scene after the accident?
The New York Times report says Mr Hendrick O'Neill, an MDC-T member "from the area where the crash occured" was suspicious of the "circumstances around the accident". Mr O'Neill is the one who, apparently, called Mr Theron "who lives near the scene" and told him about the accident. So both men are from the same area - where the accident happened? Why then did Mr O'Neill ring Mr Theron when he was from the same area? How did Mr O'Neill know about the accident? Was he an eyewitness? How did he know about it before Mr Theron "who lives near the scene"? How many kilomteres from the scene does Mr O'Neill live, as compared to Mr Theron? Why was it important to call Mr Theron and not the police, or for him to get to the accident scene promptly?
“I was looking for someone to get to the site because I was very suspicious about the circumstances around the accident,” the New York Time quotes Mr O’Neill telling Mr Cross. What were those "circumstances" at this stage - soon after the crash? How long was it after the accident did Mr O'Neill know about it or "the circumstances"? He would have had to be on the scene to be "suspicious about the circumstances around the accident" or somebody else would have told him on the phone. If somebody did, who was it?
"So he contacted Deon Theron, the vice president of the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), who lives near the scene. 'Morgan has been a target for some time'," the New York Times quotes Mr Cross.
Why would he (Mr O'Neill) contact Mr Theron when he also lives near the scene? He could have gone there himself and "collected the evidence". Did it need a farmer - a CFU Vice President? What exactly was Mr Theron required to do in these circumstances, that Mr O'Neill could not do? Afterall he was the first one to know about the accident, and he lived "in that area" anyway. In any case, one would have thought the prime concern was to rescue Mr Tsvangirai (and his wife) as he "has been a target for some time".
Surely, there was a lapse of time, from the time when Mr O'Neill saw, or heard about, the accident to the time he communicated with Mr Theron. How long was that time?
How long did it take Mr Theron to get to the scene "10 kilometres" away? Did Mr O'Neill also ring the police? If not, why not? Did Mr O'Neill eventually attend the scene as he was "suspicious about the circumstances around the accident"? If not, why not?
We hope someone will care to answer these questions, among other questions already in the public domain. This is important so that we avoid another "crash and burn".
________________
Philip Murombedzi
philipmurombedzi@yahoo.com
Labels: ASSASSINATION, CAR ACCIDENTS, DEON THERON, EDDIE CROSS, MDC VIOLENCE
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COMMENT - They are now trying to spin,
quoting unnamed sources, that the driver of the truck was 'a CIO operative'. The problem with that allegation, is that all fingers point to the white farmers/UK/USA on this issue. Right down from the denial of the lifting of sanctions, to the Prime Minister's statement that land reform will not be turned back, to the crash truck's John Snow International ownership and USAID mission, to now the presence of the picture taking VP of the CFU on the scene, before the arrival of the police. And it could still be an accident, but this is just suspicious.
Zimbabwe police arrest farmer over Tsvangirai accident video footage
Written by George Chellah in Harare
Friday, March 20, 2009 3:54:45 PM
ZIMBABWEAN Police have arrested a commercial farmer, Deon Theron who was found taking video footage at the accident scene where Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's wife died.
Theron was the first person to arrive at the accident scene and is alleged to have taken video footage of the crash before the police arrived. Police chief spokesperson senior assistant commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena confirmed Theron's arrest.
"We have arrested Theron and he is in police custody. He will appear in court on Thursday," Bvudzijena said.
In a latest twist of events, the country's Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), a white farmers' association, has allegedly been implicated in the accident.
Theron, 54 who is the vice-president of the union, is facing charges of obstructing police officers during their duty.
It is believed that Theron had been phoned by some MDC officials just after the news of the accident had spread and he arrived at the scene before police because his farm was within that area.
It is also believed that Theron was tasked to film the accident scene to provide an independent record in case of an inquiry.
Zimbabwean state media on Monday questioned how a team led by Theron was able to be at the scene of the crash, before the police.
Theron and his team had been promptly arrested by police and their photographic equipment seized, before being released later on.
It has also turned out that John Snow International (JSI), a contracting company that owns the ‘killer truck' is headquartered at Agriculture House in Marlborough suburb in Harare.
This building is the headquarters of the Commercial Farmers Union.
However, CFU chief executive officer Hendrik Olivier, in reaction to state The Herald newspaper story, said the article bore no truth.
"On Tuesday 17 March 2009 the Herald newspaper carried a front page article ‘CFU Implicated in Tsvangirai Crash'. The Union is consulting with its legal representative on the article as in our opinion the article bears no truth. We will take the necessary legal action should this be advised and members will be kept informed," Olivier stated.
The union confirmed that its vice-president Theron was called by the Criminal Investigation Department Law and Order Unit of the Zimbabwe Republic Police for questioning regarding the taking of photographs at the site of the Prime Minister's accident.
Olivier stated that Theron had been taken into custody and was being held at Rhodesville Police Station on what would appear charges of "defeating the cause of justice."
There has been controversy surrounding the accident that claimed Prime Minister Tsvangirai's wife, Susan, about two weeks ago, with former information minister and Tsholotsho North independent member of parliament Professor Jonathan Moyo calling for international investigation into the activities of USAID in Zimbabwe.
Prof Moyo's observations forced the US embassy in Harare to deny ownership of the truck that killed the Prime Minister's wife despite the truck bearing US embassy plates.
Another USAID driver, Frank Muchirahondo, is currently facing charges for attempting to assassinate Air Force of Zimbabwe commander, Air Marshal Perence Shiri.
Labels: ASSASSINATION, CAR ACCIDENTS, CFU, DEON THERON, FRANK MUCHIRAHONDO, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, PERENCE SHIRI, SUSAN TSVANGIRAI, USAID
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Eddie Cross disputes Tsvangirai over crash
Floyd Nkomo
Thu, 19 Mar 2009 05:20:00 +0000
THE Movement for Democratic Change party's policy coordinator has disputed Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's statement that the accident that killed his wife was a genuine accident.
Speaking to the New York Times,
Eddie Cross expressed concern that the crash had not been an accident, and said
the MDC-T party will not accept a police report.
“This (accident) will certainly demand an independent investigation,” said Cross. “We won’t accept a police report.”
Cross's version of events is different from the one given by the eye-witnesses on the scene.
Cross said a left front tyre of the vehicle that was carrying the Prime Minister and his wife, Susan, had burst and part of the under-carriage was loose as a result of the accident.
He claims that he got this information from Deon Theron, the Vice President of the Commercial Farmers Union, "who lives near the scene" and who photographed the scene of the accident before the police arrived.
Theron has since been arrested for obstructing police officers during their duty. He is due to appear in court today. He is said to have climbed on top of the overturned vehicle to take photographs.
According to Prime Minister Tsvangirai the driver of his vehicle swerved to avoid the truck. But a trailer attached to the truck hit the Land Cruiser in which he was travelling, which rolled over three times.
Ian Makone, a secretary in the Prime Minister’s office, said he arrived at the crash scene about a half hour after the accident. He said one of the drivers in the convoy told him that an oncoming truck “had clipped the right rear fender of Morgan’s car.”
Questions have arisen as to how Theron would have known about the accident and why he had a camera handy to take footage.
There are also concerns about the ownership of the vehicle. Sources say the vehicle belonged to John Snow International (JSI) but was not being driven by a JSI driver at the time.
A confidential memo released by JSI says: “The vehicle involved in this accident was registered to USAid/Deliver (a JSI Project) although not driven by a JSI driver..."
JSI international runs USAid-funded programmes in the region.
Theron was the first white farmer convicted of defying an order to vacate a designated farming property under the Government's redistribution exercise.
He was given a suspended six-month prison sentence in March 2008 for violating the Land Act and one month to leave his farm and a six-month prison sentence.
Labels: ASSASSINATION, CAR ACCIDENTS, DEON THERON, EDDIE CROSS, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
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