COURT CASE – GWERU MAGISTRATES COURT: 13 JUNE 2011
The Hapelts long struggle to keep the home they have had for close on ninety years ended yesterday in the Gweru Magistrates Court.
Philip Hapelt was found guilty of occupying state land illegally and fined $100.
In 2002 Philip Hapelt was persuaded by representatives from the Ministry of Lands that it would be in his best interests to offer the majority of his land up for resettlement. In return they promised that he would be left his homestead and a small piece of land around it, in order to continue a down scaled farming operation. Mr Hapelt readily consented to these demands and an agreement to this affect, was entered into in the Administrative court and signed by all parties.
On the basis of this, the Hapelts believed during the past nine years, that they had a legitimate right to stay in their home and continue farming. It is cruel and unusual punishment to hoodwink two elderly people into signing an agreement and make them believe over the past nine years, that their livelihood, home and investment in Zimbabwe was safe.
Mr Hapelt has co-existed and lived in harmony with the people who have been resettled around him, for the past 9 years. He has devoted his life to improving the blood lines of his much loved Brahman, Limousin and Afrikaaner cattle and has selflessly helped rural farmers to improve their stock and farming methods, donating time, money and animals for their breeding programs. Mr Hapelts community work extended to surrounding schools including the Naran School for the deaf, of which he is a patron. Mr Hapelt also regularly donated in cash or in kind, to help the Zimbabwe Republic Police, The Zimbabwe Military Academy and also regularly contributed towards Independence celebrations and state functions.
In spite of Mr Hapelts exemplary record, the State have now seen fit to punish him and remove him from the home where he was born, married, raised four children, ten grandchildren and helped in no small measure, to improve the lives of other people in the community. At the age of 87 Mr Hapelt has to face the fact that his home and livelihood is no more. He has been left frail, ill and traumatised by months of violence and intimidation at the hands of Mr Mangena and his henchmen.
Mr Hapelts home has been given to Member of Parliament for Mberengwa Consituency, Mr Jabulani Mangena. This is in spite of the fact that this is in flagrant violation of the Zimbabwean Governments strict “one man one farm” policy. It is alleged that the Honourable MP Mangena is a serial benefactor from spoils of the land redistribution exercise which the authorities are keen to portray as being highly successful and transparent, and benefitting the landless and disadavantaged. If one was to view Mr Mangenas cattle now residing on Grasslands Farm, you would be forgiven for surmising that he has not been given this farm because of his prowess as a cattle breeder nor does he appear to be landless or disadvantaged.
While it is alleged that Mr Mangena has benefitted time and again from the land reform program, a trip to Mberengwa District will find the majority of his constituents languishing in abject poverty.
|