Evicted Zimbabwe white farmers compensated in South Africa

A property owned by Zimbabwe’s government in South Africa has been sold to compensate white farmers evicted from their land in Zimbabwe. The auction followed a five-year battle to force the government to pay legal costs, after it lost a court challenge against its controversial land reforms. The farmers’ lawyer said it was a “symbolic […]

A property owned by Zimbabwe’s government in South Africa has been sold to compensate white farmers evicted from their land in Zimbabwe.
The auction followed a five-year battle to force the government to pay legal costs, after it lost a court challenge against its controversial land reforms.
The farmers’ lawyer said it was a “symbolic victory” and vowed to target other Zimbabwe-owned properties.
Zimbabwe launched several court bids in a failed attempt to contest the ruling.
Property speculator Arthur Tsimatakopoulos bought the house for about $282,000.
But most of the cash will go on legal costs, the farmers’ lawyer Willie Spies said.
“This is a symbolic victory and we will pursue other commercial properties owned by Zimbabwe,” said Mr Spies, who represented the farmers through AfriForum, a mainly white civil rights group in South Africa.
The case began when a group of nearly 80 white farmers launched a case at a tribunal of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), saying they had been targeted because of their race.