Background: The Beattie family were some of the most productive farmers in Zimbabwe. When the rule of law prevailed they used to grow 1300 hectares of crops under irrigation and 1700 hectares of crops dry land.
They also had a substantial livestock production enterprise. In 2009 the 300 hectares of citrus trees are now all but completely ruined. The approximately 3000 tons of commercial maize off 400 hectares and 600 tons of seed maize off 100 hectares is not able to be planted this planting season. The 800 hectares of soya beans that they grew each year producing approximately 2000 tons of soya is not able to be planted in 2009 either. The 800 hectares wheat crop which produced 5000 tons of wheat each year was also nonexistent this winter. This year the invaders stopped all wheat from being grown on the farm and did not grow any themselves. With the Zimbabwean national crop in 2009 the lowest ever at approximately 20,000 tons, the Beattie family alone could have increased the national crop by 20 percent if law and order were allowed to prevail in Zimbabwe. The Beattie family used to employ between 1200 and 1400 workers in peak season. This year the majority of these workers are unemployed. 63 double houses as well as 5 managers’ houses and 7 cottages on their estate have been taken over with the occupants being removed without eviction orders from any court.
Below are just some of the events that the Chegutu police have allowed to take place over the last few months that have led to such a dramatic break down in this once very productive farming operation:
14 August 2009: Invader Hanyani and people from the Ministry of lands came to demand use of cottage in garden of main homestead.
15 August 2009: The front gate was smashed and the locks removed. 5 vehicles drove into the garden and the invaders spent the whole night drinking and dancing. Fires were lit on the lawn. A police report was made RRB no. 0611011 but Chegutu police did nothing to arrest the perpetrators.
16 August 2009: A goat was slaughtered and cooked on the lawn by the invaders while invaders carried on getting drunk. Invader Hanyani and Nicholas led the break in to the main house area. The cottage was then occupied and the furniture removed. Sue Beattie was assaulted and threatened with a large iron bar to her neck. Mr. Thomas Beattie finally got a police team out which included Assistant Inspector Bepura; Inspector Sasa and Inspector Zengeni. Mrs. Beattie laid a charge against those who had assaulted her. Police put pressure on Mr. Beattie to allow invader Hanyani and his wife to move into the cottage that they had broken into.
17 August 2009 and beyond: Sue Beattie had a doctors report regarding her bruised neck from the assault. Given previous severe medical problems with her trachea the assault was potentially life threatening. This report was taken to police Inspector Sasa in Chegutu police. As at 24 November 2009 no follow up or arrests have been made. Invaders Hanyani, Nicholas and others moved into the cottage. Sue Beattie was then away until 10 October 2009 attending to her sick son, Hamish, who died at the age of 39 on the 5 October. In the meantime the pressure and harassment from the invaders continued with them parking their vehicles in the garden by the main homestead, drinking, playing loud music at all hours of day and night and letting the Beattie’s dogs out.
9 October 2009: The invaders stole pipes and 95 liters of milk. This was reported to Chegutu police but no arrests were made [RRB no. 0694062].
23 October 2009: The lock was broken to the stable office by the invaders. This was reported to Chegutu police but no arrests were made [RRB no. 0699144]. Thomas Beattie was threatened by the invaders. This was reported to Chegutu police but no arrest were made [RRB no. 0699145].
28 October 2009: Nicholas demanded of Sue Beattie, with threats and abuse, that the garden equipment be removed from the shed next to the back door of the homestead. Sue Beattie made a report to police on 29 October and when police did nothing made a second report with Thomas Beattie on the 30 October. When nothing happened to restore law and order they also submitted a letter to the Officer in charge Chegutu police but still nothing happened to stop the invaders.
1 November 2009: Police told Thomas Beattie that he must remove his guards. Invader Hanyani threatened Thomas Beattie with violence.
2 November 2009: The stable block of out buildings near to the homestead was taken over by invader Hanyani. Invader Hanyani vandalized the stables by knocking down the interior walls and blocking up the doors. A lock was removed from the access gate. Buckets and a watering can and a badza were stolen by the invaders from the garden.
5 November 2009: Sue Beattie wrote a letter to invader Hanyani which was copied to the police asking invader Hanyani not to continue to harass her and disturb the peace and to return her stolen garden implements.
15 November 2009: Thomas Beattie was threatened by Nicholas and another new invader called Seti who said he was there to make sure that he evicted the Beattie’s. Thomas Beattie left to get his guards and make a report to the police. The police came out and invader Nicolas made a false report that Thomas Beattie had made racist comments. The police threatened to arrest both parties.
22 November 2009: Invader Hanyani put his own lock on the main gate.
23 November 2009: Invaders locked the Beatties out of their home. They chased Thomas Beattie with sjamboks and sticks. The Beatties workers in the citrus orchards were also chased away. A report was made to the Chegutu police but no arrests were made [RRB no. 0699145] and the Beatties were blocked from getting to their home that night.
24 November 2009: Another report is made to the Chegutu police. Invader Hanyani said that he would give the Beattie’s a key to the gate where he had also put an armed guard. He did not do so. Invader Seti threatened violence with a sjambok but eventually allowed Sue Beattie to her house on foot. The oil from the generator was stolen as well as the diesel from the tractor in the invaded stable yard. A report to Police was made but no one was arrested [ report RRB no. 0699159 ].
25 November 2009: Sue Beattie took video footage of invader Nicolas coming at her in a very threatening manner. He proceeded to swear abuse at her and threaten her.
26 November 2009: Lands officer Kunonga along with invader Hanyani and other thugs arrived early at the Beattie’s home early in the morning to demand that the Beattie’s vacate their home. A report was made to police. At time of writing the situation is very threatening and Chegutu police still refuse to stop the harassment. Strategic fires have been lit around the thatched double storey homestead and the threat of being burnt out is very real. The member in charge Chegutu Police Station, Inspector Zengeni, the stood down lands officer Kunonga and Edna Madzongwe are all involved in this lawless attack.
(Source: via email)