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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko on Wednesday called on the Matabeleland South Provincial Lands committee to urgently address the land dispute at Double O Ranch in Gwanda district, which was allocated to the Beitbridge community in ward 12 for grazing purposes during the land reform programme.

The farm which covers 10 000 hectares was divided into two sections with the former owner Mrs J T Watson, remaining with 2 000 hectares while 8 000 hectares were allocated to the Beitbridge community in Siyoka area.

A long-standing dispute has been raging between Mrs Watson’s son George and the villagers in Siyoka area over what they called unrepentant colonial behaviour.

At some point Mr Watson set dogs on two boys from the Siyoka area that he found herding cattle in the disputed area.

In another incident, he ran over seven shacks at the farm belonging to his workers using his Toyota Land cruiser while they were asleep as punishment for reporting him to authorities because of labour exploitation.

Six people escaped with minor injuries as a result of the incident. He also keeps two lions at the farm, which he is alleged to be feeding with villagers’ donkeys.

Former Zanu-PF Matabeleland South chairperson Cde Lloyd Siyoka, said Mrs Watson and her son were holding on to the land illegally since they were told to vacate the area in 2003.

Cde Siyoka said the Watsons temporarily left the farm for three years, but returned in 2006 through the assistance of former Matabeleland South Governor Cde Angeline Masuku.

“We have a problem with Mr George Watson who has been ill-treating the community and has fenced the grazing land and the District Development Fund dam (Magwamazi Dam).

“In some cases he beats up members of the community when they come to his farm looking for their livestock. We have tried to seek assistance to evict him, but we have failed due to the support he was getting from Cde Angeline Masuku. That is the same reason why Cde Masuku lost support from the community during the last elections.

“We are appealing to you as our leader (Vice President Mphoko) to help us resolve the issue as a matter of urgency,” said Cde Siyoka.

Cde Siyoka added that five members of the community had since been arrested at the instigation of Mr Watson after removing the fence he had put on the grazing land. The five are expected to stand trial in Beitbridge on January 7 this year.

The Vice President then ordered the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Cde Abednico Ncube, to urgently address the issue in consultation with the Provincial Lands Committee.

“We have heard your concerns as the community and I am calling on Cde Ncube to ensure that this issue is resolved amicably as a matter of urgency.

“We need to live in harmony and the police should also be involved to ensure that people deal with the matter within the confines of the set laws on the land,” said Cde Mphoko.

He also calmed down most of the charged residents who wanted the Watsons evicted.

The Member of Parliament for Beitbridge West constituency Cde Metrine Mudau, commended the Vice President for his intervention.

“We believe the issue will be put to rest with the assistance of the Vice President. Our efforts to resolve the matter with him (Mr Watson) have fallen on deaf ears. The man does not respect any authority.

“We will continue pursuing the issue with the provincial lands committee”, said Cde Mudau.

Acting Zanu-PF chairman for Matabeleland South Cde Rabelani Choeni, said Mr Watson was ruthless and was not willing to resolve the matter with the community.