Farmer wants R80mln from govt for Zimbabwean farms

Judgment has been reserved in the case of a prominent Free State farmer, Crawford von Abo, who wants the South African government to pay him R80 million in compensation for his Zimbabwean farms that were seized. He is one of hundreds of South Africans whose farms were seized in Zimbabwe without any form of compensation.

Von Abo has been battling for six years to get his 14 confiscated farms in Zimbabwe back. He argues that his protection of property rights has been seriously violated as the South African government has not performed its constitutional obligation to protect him.

Von Abo is also calling on government to join the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Membership to ICSID will enable him to claim compensation from the Zimbabwean government.

President Thabo Mbeki, together with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Industry and Justice, has argued that ICSID will not benefit von Abo as Zimbabwe will not consent to engage in arbitration. If Zimbabwe does not want to cooperate, ICSID's hands are tied.

Von Abo, however, insists that the centre will be able to help as their 136 members would not be members if the centre was useless. He also argues that Zimbabwe has in the past consented to arbitration and if MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai takes over as Zimbabwean president, the government's concern might be something of the past.