The White African Farmer

Below is an excerpt from a documentary that was filmed by a white African farmer during the Zimbabwean land distribution program. The conversation takes place between the farmer and the son of a Zimbabwean Government minister, who we will only identify as Mr X.

Let me start of by saying that the views expressed in this conversation are not those of this blog or the blogger. Also bear in mind that I have not added any comments or sentiments of my own, I have simply reproduced a conversation from a documentary that has been in existence and circulation for over 3 years.

Farmer: Good morning

Mr X: Good morning

Farmer: How are you Mr X, what are you doing?

Mr X: I am here for my land

Farmer: For your land?

Mr X: Yes, I am here for my land which you have taken. It was given to me four years ago by the Zimbabwean Government.

Farmer: We have been to the SADC tribunal

Mr X: Who is SADC, I am SADC, I am SADC

Farmer: SADC has given us full relief until the main case

Mr X: I am SADC, they have the same feelings that I have

Farmer: and SADC has said that until the main case you cannot interfere

Mr X: is that why you are refusing to get out of this farm? Tell me

Farmer: This is my home

Mr X: it is your home? Well you are in the wrong home. Who did you pay? An Africans or some white fellow?

Farmer: we paid transfer duty to the Zimbabwean Government. We bought it on a willing buyer willing sender bases. We didn’t steal it

Mr X:  is it? Anyway that unfortunate because we realised that without land we have nothing and that why we are here.

Farmer: But you have land Mr X

Mr X: we haven’t got land

Farmer: I have been to your house in Harare

Mr X: have you? You have been raiding my house also? What were you looking for?

Farmer: I was driving past but the guard wouldn’t let me through the gate

Mr X: is it? What were you looking for?

Farmer: I was coming to see where you lived

Mr X: And do what?

Farmer: well if you want to steal my house maybe I can take yours

Mr X: the land belongs to the black peasants, it is ours. The government took it from your people to redistribute it to the black poor majority.

Farmer: and Ministers are the black poor majority? Every time you come you come in a brand new vehicle. This is a Toyota Prado worth about $50 000

Mr X: what has that got to do with our land?

Farmer: Last time it was a brand new white twin cab, before that it was a jeep Cherokee before that a brand new lorry.

Mr X: How about you? That has nothing to do with my land

Farmer: if you have got all this money why can’t you buy somewhere?

Mr X: the land belongs to the black peasants; there are a lot of Africans, in Harare, all over

Farmer: so is Minister X a black peasant?

Mr X: He is a minister, like any other black person that deserves land. Look at you, you are so greedy

Farmer: I am so greedy? You come and steal my house, steal my farm and you say I am greedy. I paid for it Mr X.

Mr X: paid for it where? I can’t buy land in the UK. My father, everything he has in London,  in America has been frozen, you have taken it. My father is not even allowed to go to your country but you are still here

Farmer: but you have land, it is just the ministers that have targeted sanctions on them for what they have don’t to the country.

Mr X:My friend you take all the land from us, you starve us, and you bring sanctions in the end you want to cripple us so that you can take over. It will never be colony again, this country, it will never, it will never be a colony again. I will sleep here until you are out and I meant it, I want you out.