FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe has demanded that the government
reins in sugar producer, Tongaat Hulett to allow the Zanu PF women’s league to
take over a part of the company’s Lowveld estate.
In her address to the women’s league on Thursday, Grace
told President Robert Mugabe that the South African company was resisting the
women’s league efforts to take over.
“The women’s league was allocated part of the farm that is
owned by Tongaat Hulett, but the company has for the last two years been
resisting our efforts to take over the farm,” she said.
“They continue to shift goalposts.” Mugabe’s wife demanded that Lands minister Douglas
Mombeshora force Tongaat Hulett to buckle.
“We want the ministry of Lands to rein in the company, so
that we are allowed to take over and start producing sugarcane,” she continued.
“The women’s league is in danger of losing two years of
sugar production. “We are also appealing for your (Mugabe’s) intervention so
that this issue is resolved.
“The company is claiming that it has to meet a European
Union quota, but this is our land. It has nothing to do with the EU.”
Many Zanu PF organs and party members have been eyeing
Tongaat Hulett’s land for years, with public fights breaking out over some of
the property.
The government issued offer letters to about 300 people to
take over a piece of the land owned by Tongaat Hulett.
Mugabe had to hold two meetings with Masvingo provincial
leaders over the Tongaat Hulett land, where there were accusations that bigwigs
had muscled in and were dishing out the property amongst themselves.
At the time the offer letters were being dished out, there were
fears that at least 2 000 workers were going to lose their jobs.
Grace also told the meeting that the women’s league also
took over an irrigation project in Matabeleland North and on the eastern
fringes of Harare, where she said a school was being run.
“We are producing maize in Matabeleland North and running a
school in Goromonzi. We want to build an industrial park, where children will
be taught practical skills,” she said. Newsday
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