THE ‘new found’ fortunes of farmers have not only attracted more people to take up farming, but also characters that are manipulating and taking advantage of producers.
Cases of input, insurance and implements schemes under which farmers are made to pay money, but get nothing in return are now the order of the day.
Obviously there is vast wealth in the land and there are elements determined to milk those benefitting from it by hook and crook.
In 2007 an organisation, the Zimbabwe Horticulture Agro-Industries and General Agriculture Workers’ Union (ZHAGAWU) was formed with the intention to represent the farm worker and ensure that his/her interests were catered for.
The association boasts of a membership of 30 000 with efforts being made to attract more members, according to its general secretary Raymond Sixpence.
Members pay a monthly subscription of US$2.
The association is an affiliate to the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU).
On paper the organisation’s intentions and objectives are noble.
It is an organisation that seeks to ensure that not only the farmers enjoyed the benefits of the Land Reform Programme, but also those contributing to success in the sector.
However, this has not been the case as reports indicate that the association is now advancing the selfish interests of its leaders.
Farmers have raised concerns over the conduct of Sixpence whom they accuse of using the association to ‘terrorise and extort’ money from them.
The association is said to be mostly approaching workers of white farmers whom they can easily intimidate rather than black farmers.
If the association is sincere about the welfare of farm workers, the question remains, do those workers of indigenous farmers not need representation?
Beatrice farmer Stoff Hawgood said instead of assisting the workers, Sixpence was getting money from them and doing nothing for the workers.
“Sixpence is collecting money from white farmers, which he wants in cash and not the banking system,” he said.
“He is enriching himself and not attending to the needs of the workers.
“Sixpence normally storms at the farms unannounced wearing ZANU PF regalia forcing the workers to join his association.”
Hawgood said Sixpence had fraudulently acquired membership forms and stop order forms for some of his workers at Tavistock Estates.
“I have formally made a report at Beatrice police after three of my workers had stop orders submitted by Sixpence which they had never signed or even knew about coming into effect,” he said.
A worker at Norton’s Drummond Farm, Mwene Mwanza, confirmed assertions that workers were being forced to join ZHAGAWU.
“I did not want to join the association, but when they came I was forced as they claimed that if I did not it meant I was not patriotic,” said Mwanza.
“I pay subscriptions, but in protest and the association has not done anything to assist me even when I have grievances.”
It also emerged that Sixpence has more than once abandoned his duty of protecting the interests of workers by siding with farm owners at the expense of workers.
Innesfree Farm owner Peter Plenderlieth, who is into dairy farming in Beatrice, is alleged to have once paid his workers general and not agro-industrial wages.
“Sixpence intimidated and threatened Plenderlieth with this information and ordered the farmer to pay him so that he would not have to pay the workers monies they had been prejudiced,” said a source who requested anonymity.
Plenderlieth is alleged to have admitted that he dealt with Sixpence so as not to get into trouble for giving workers a raw deal.
The Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) said it had received reports from its members who have been ‘harassed’ by ZHAGAWU.
The CFU head of legal department Gary Wilson said members had raised concerns over the actions by ZHAGAWU members.
“There is need for measures to be taken against such people as they deter the progress of the agriculture sector,” he said.
Sixpence, who claims to be a Central Intelligence Officer and linked to War Veterans Minister Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, has threatened The Patriot staffers Knowledge Teya and Emergency Mwale for exposing him.
He also intimidates farmers by threatening to ‘associate’ them with ousted former Vice-President Joice Mujuru if they fail to comply with his demands.