Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI – Tongaat Hullet has indicated that it may soon compensate people who seized vast tracts of its sugarcane land before President Robert Mugabe ordered them off, TellZim News can reveal.
In a letter dated 11 August 2017 and titled ‘Compensation of Farmers settled on Hippo Valley Section 6 and 7 and Triangle section 12, 13 and 14,’ the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement wrote to Chimwamurombe Legal Practitioners, who are representing the new sugarcane farmers, that Tongaat Hullet wanted to settle the matter.
“Further to our communication in the above cited matter, we wish to advise that Tongaat Hullet has reverted to us on your query” reads part of the letter. Farmers are going to be compensated according to categories on the levels of costs they incurred to maintain the cane.
“They will harvest the cane on an average cost per ton of $8.15 inclusive of haulage to the mills. Compensation of farmers will be based on categories highlighted to yourselves at our meeting of 25 July 2017 as follows:
(a) For farmers who maintained the crop fully to point of harvest, compensation is based on revenue less costs incurred by Tongaat Hullet with farmers receiving full profit. (b) For farmers who maintained the crop partially, compensation to be based on actual verifiable costs incurred by the farmer,” reads the letter.
Tongaat Hullet lost more than 4000 hectares of sugarcane plot to 215 Zanu PF supporters, who took six of its sections by force.
President Mugabe ordered them to vacate after they refused to obey minister Douglas Mombeshora’s offer letter reversals.local
