At 6:30AM on 7 May 2008, NINE SOLDIERS armed with AK47s, metal pipes and sticks arrived at the Grand Parade farm in Karoi North, Zimbabwe, belonging to Andrew Paul Rosslyn Stidolph and his wife and forced them off their land.
They acted on behalf of Major General Nick Dube of the Zimbabwe National Army Defence Headquarters, who claimed to be a beneficiary of the portion of Grand Parade that the Stidolphs occupied. hese pictures and a written statement about the sequence of events leading up to their forced removal arrived at Farmer’s Weekly’s offices a week ago.
Andrew said soldiers have been resident at Grand Parade despite the fact that he was an acknowledged compliance farmer who had given up more than two thirds of the farm and “shared” the farm in harmony with settlers. he first attempted eviction took place on Monday 14 April this year. “On this occasion Corporal Shoko called me to the house gate of the main homestead.
He told me that Tuesday the 15th was to be my last day in our house, that I was to pack my things and summon transport for my furniture, pigs, dairy cows, and cattle.” Andrew informed the corporal that he’d obtained interim relief from the SADC Tribunal ruling. “He said he was not interested in such things; he and his men just followed orders,” Andrew noted in his statement. wo days later the corporal and his men were back. “Most of them were in full army uniform armed with AK rifles and sticks. Again, Andrew refused to budge and this time soldiers forced their way onto the farm, sending the Stidolphs fleeing into their house. he same group of soldiers returned on 7 May 2008.
In his statement Andrew related the events as they unfolded that day: “At 7am they refused our workers and housemaids to come to work. They then patrolled round the house intimidating us. We managed to take some photos of them outside of the kitchen. “Finally the soldiers made entry into our house by forcing the kitchen door. They commenced throwing out our property.
My wife and I could do nothing to stop them. Once they had thrown everything out, they took occupation in the main lounge. They kept only some chairs and our stereo there to play loud music with our CDs. Some drank beer taken from our pantry. “We had to sit outside with our belongings, but by then they were scattered everywhere and I could not look after them.
My wife and I were numb, exhausted and quite traumatised. None of our employees were allowed in to help us.” The Stidolphs lost everything except for the few personal belongings they could salvage. This, despite their initial attempts to cooperate with the Zimbabwean government in its land reform drive by handing over two thirds of their land to new settlers, and even helping their new neighbours where possible. – Staff reporter
