Outspoken Ntabazinduna chief, Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni is heading for another showdown with the government after he reportedly threw his weight behind a white former farmer in his bid to have the police evicted from his conservancy.
Dave Jourbet was evicted from Portwe Estate and Bembesi Conservancy, with the police occupying the property.
In 2007, the High Court ruled that the police should leave the farm that they had occupied that year.
However, the police are still occupying the farm despite a court issued more than a decade ago.
Joubert revealed that he has the support of the controversial chief. He said:
With the support of Chief Nhlanhla Felix Ndiweni, the paramount chief of our neighbours, the Ndebele people, with whom we’ve worked closely for years, we are now embarking on a campaign to apply for the 2007 court order and regain our farm and conservancy project.
Despite the chief’s support, Joubert said that senior Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers operating from Hwange continue to frustrate entry to the farm of an audit of the farm.
Let the voice of reason prevail for the Godliness it carries has Salvation and Redemption for all and for generations to come. Can anyone tell us…is Dave Jourbert, Hon Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni, and Hon Members of the Police Force not all Zimbabweans equal before the common law as enshrined in the Zimbabwe Constitution? Let no demagogical biases, parochial political biases and illiteracy; subjectivities and rigidities and hatred emanating from shameful tribal appetites, racial appetites and mere greediness lead to hurtful prejudicial judgements for all the three parties Dave, Hon Chief Ndiweni, Hon ZRP forces…..Is it not that Jourbert is an excelling farmer in the community giving employment, wealth , foreign currency and agroindustry growth,,,,again is the chief not exercising his peace, social justice and unifying role in the community and finally are the ZRP not enforcing law and order that is critical for all citizens? Fellow countrymen Live and Let Live. Yet in the finality parties need not interfer unnecessarily with each other as the nation equally needs them all. I believe there is more than enough land and premises that the Hon ZRP could be allocated to allow the economic activities on the farm to proceed and duly accept the advisory and constructive unifying role of the Chiefs as the likelihood of deepening and unwarranted animosity is quite inevitable judging from the abrasive and confrontational atmosphere presupposed by the status of the moment and statement of the issue. God bless.
As a hunter guest 20 years ago I really hope to visit Bembesi Safari again some day. It was a well driven hunting lodge giving lots of jobs and wealth to the community.