ZIMBABWEAN farmers supported by AfriForum, scored another victory in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria last week when the court ruled that the government of Zimbabwe is responsible for the wasted costs of an urgent court application erroneously brought against the farmers and AfriForum.
The matter drew high level attention from the Zimbabwean government and the hearing was personally attended by the country’s deputy Attorney-General Prince Machaya. The Zimbabwean government erroneously lodged the urgent application because this government apparently had been under the impression that the auction of properties in Cape Town, scheduled for July 27 and August 10 2010, had been organised by AfriForum and the farmers. Although the farmers were the first to seize the properties, the auctions were organised by German banking group KFW Bank Gruppe.
Although the correct facts had been widely reported in the media, the Zimbabwean government went ahead with the erroneous urgent application.
The latest victory is but one in a series of legal battles which these farmers are taking on with the help of AfriForum. The victory once again provides the farmers and thousands of farm workers, deprived of their livelihoods, with the moral oxygen and energy to continue their struggle for justice in Zimbabwe.

Willie Spies
Legal representative
AfriForum

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