Willful Deceit. Admiration. Lions Tour and Australia.

The rain is back as can be seen through our car windscreen for an early morning visit to the dentist this week

Over the weekend, my friend Lee Vermaak informed us that some TDHs (Title Deed Holders) under the PROFCA initiative had received their first payment, but not all, nor have any bonds been issued to date. This was later confirmed not to us, the majority of TDHs who did not sign up to the deal, but by means of a communique by Bud Whittaker offering some indication on what future payments would possibly be, their timeline and suggestions on what could be done with the bonds to retain some semblance of their face value. Yes, the promoters are very aware of the fragility of the bond's value. I am now adding this sentence before posting, as I have subsequently heard from my good friend Vernon Nicolle that he has also received a payment. As he keeps reminding me, despite being a terrible deal (he uses a short expletive here), it is the only deal on the table and offers immediate relief to some in their fight for survival.

“Time. Only time will tell us if we should have accepted this deal. The main arguments for accpeting it are twofold. That is I am desperate for any payment asap and secondly I have little faith in a better deal being found". - Peter McSporran

My first thought was, thank goodness those in dire need of money will have something to keep them going, hopefully until the next payment. But by admission in his communique, Bud reiterated that the bond value could or rather will be significantly eroded over the next ten years, by some 50% on inflation alone. This, coupled with the doubt in the bonds being redeemed at their face value on maturity, was the main reason why most TDHs did not sign up for the deal. If floated in the marketplace, these bonds will see their face value substantially discounted for these reasons. Further, this payment is only for the improvements, while at an early stage, it requires surrendering the title to your land. There is that awful clause in the Global Compensation Deed (GCD) that once you are tied into accepting this offer, long before significant payments are made, you cannot make any further legal claims against the Government in accepting payment under this deal. 

"For myself, I shall be one of those that continue to believe that a fairer deal will eventually evolve which will include the value of our land. For me in accepting would mean I have given up the fight for my legal rights. Why would you hand over your house when someone part-pays for your car.” - Peter McSporran

The Government is fully aware of the majority of the TDHs' rejection of the latest Farm Compensation Agreement (FCA) offer. Still, it suits their cause to lie to the world that it has addressed the compensation issue. It is up to us to let them know the truth through our representatives. I am very disappointed there has been no communication regarding the present situation from the CFU or any other organisations purporting to represent us in our fight for fair compensation.

“When it comes to politics, repetition is a requirement, saying something only once means little. Political memory is miniscule. An unresolved issue is only such if it is a constant aggravation, otherwise it fades away.” - Peter McSporran

Under the Zimbabwean constitution, we are entitled to full payments for the improvements, while under international law, we are due compensation for the land. Despite this, many who want to survive and put food on the table, so to speak, are happy with any payment. This fact is being taken full advantage of by a hostile Government unwilling to honour the law under its constitution, let alone international law.

"One thought that has continually been going through my mind. In the event of default by the Government, will PROFCA take legal action against the Government?"-Peter McSporran

This may be an eventuality if the Government defaults; the agreement protects the Government from legal action by the farmer but not the self-styled promoters. Would they have the will to do so?

The government has further added the indignity of retaining the discount they offered in the event of a full cash payment for the improvements. This is far from the case now in the present offer. I can understand the circumstances and the time delays that have caused some people to accept the offer, but I have grave concerns, in all honesty, with the present regime in power, that they will even honour this awful deal. It is also apparent in answer to Honourable Brian Jame's questions in the House that the Zimbabwe Minister of Finance, Mthuli Ncube, is treating it as a fait accompli that he has a global agreement with the farmers despite this being untrue. He has been informed of this on numerous occasions verbally and in writing. His so-called ignorance of the facts is ‘willful deceit’.

"Willful deceit refers to the act of deliberately and knowingly deceiving someone, with the intent to mislead or cause harm. It involves a conscious and purposeful effort to present something false as true.” - AI

Amusingly, when you search for the definition of something on the internet these days the first and often the best answers are generated by AI. I personally preferred the Oxford or Cambridge dictionaries. There are many definitions for willful deceit, but they all add up to the same thing, that is; pretending ignorance for gain despite having the correct information.

The purpose of this deceit is to sell the lie that the GCD is still well and alive, although one party, the Government itself, broke the terms of the agreement in its infancy. The other party, mandated to represent the TDHs, withdrew from the agreement when Government failed to fulfill its promises. This deceit will be used to tell the world the farmers ‘en masse’ that they accepted the deal despite the large majority having rejected it.

Bud's communique confused me in payments as it contradicts previous information on this, interest and capital payments are merged, and of course, at best, let's hope the Government honours each payment by the due date. In fact, the case is that payments are very much loaded towards the maturity of the bonds, further eroding value. It would have always been nice if the Government had stuck to its own constitution regarding compensation rather than offering this token payment to a group of TDHs who, after the initial relief, will find themselves anxiously waiting for the next payment relying on the honour of a proven dishonourable party. More stress on an already very stressed and ageing group.” - Peter McSporran

"Enough said, but if we do not demand the law to be applied correctly and are complicit in its compromise for expediency, we will only have ourselves to blame if things unravel in future."-Peter McSporran

In previous blogs, I have mentioned a neighbour who lives just outside our village who has been diagnosed with cancer. I have not mentioned him by name, but last Saturday I visited him on learning he had been put into palliative care. During his treatment; chemo, I have admired his positivity with us being able to take him out to lunch during this treatment, despite the very severe effects on him physically. Both Rozanne and I set off to see him at the Hospital Arcebispo João Crisóstomo in the town of Cantanhede, some sixty kilometres from our home. By the time we reached our destination, Rozanne’s recent cold had returned with vigour and it would have been unwise for her to enter any hospital as a visitor let alone a palliative care unit. So I went in alone.

Despite a delay caused by hospital staff, on entering his ward I was really surprised to find my friend Daniel Erlenborn in such good spirits. Dan, as I and his friends call him, was sitting up in bed with a smile on his face, fresh from a shower which had delayed my entry. I told him jokingly that he shouldn't have bothered cleaning up on my behalf. Dan was a very successful broadcast journalist of some forty years of experience, including working at the Whitehouse until George W Bush was elected.

We joked on Saturday that perhaps, despite being friends, we were ideologically from opposite poles. I would say he is liberal to such an extent that he even tolerates me visiting him. We happily avoid subjects where we prefer to differ.

Daniel is enjoying lunch in the sun. Every day is precious

I consider myself a right-wing liberal. Is there such a thing? I believe in fairness and the acknowledgement of differences between individuals in our respective ideologies. Further, I firmly believe in meritocracy and am strongly against the few imposing their will on the majority. I am appalled at the curbing of free speech in Europe, especially the UK.

I must admit that writing a few words about a successful news writer and broadcaster makes me nervous, as I am sure he will pick up any errors, both in grammar and fact. Maybe even in attitude. I should have mentioned his role for many years as a writer/producer was with NBC News, which has a viewership in excess of one hundred million. A fact I did not know until I looked it up. So to speak, it's not small fry.  Dan is in palliative care more for his comfort and care as his married partner, Andre, as I had witnessed, was having trouble in caring for him physically at home. Despite losing many kilograms during treatment, Dan is just too heavy for Andre, it would have only been a matter of time before he suffered an injury himself. Before coming to Portugal and retiring, Dan and his partner owned and managed a small hotel in Costa Rica. A small village in Portugal seems a long way from the virtual hub of the world, Washington. 

What impressed me most about Dan was his stoicism throughout his treatment from the time he was diagnosed. Notably, he has never lost his sense of humour. His ‘marido’, Andre, is a loving partner who has stood with him throughout. I can only admire their relationship and caring for each other. He has been impressed with his treatment here in Portugal, never complaining that he could have possibly had better treatment back in the States. Surprisingly, he seems very happy with the care he is receiving and the premises he is in. A lot better than the drab greens of the Coimbra University Hospital. He is still positive, but as you can see from his career, is no fool. His mind is still very active, although I think he is getting a bit bored with the game shows which are continually shown on Portuguese TV. I salute you, Dan. Keep fighting.

Sugar cane in Natal

I should have previously mentioned I attended two events in 1997. Both with the same friends being in attendance, that being Kevin O’Toole, Warwick Small and Vernon Nicolle. The first was purely pleasure to watch the final two tests between South Africa and the Lions on the 28th of June in Durban and on the 5th of July at Ellis Park, Johannesburg. We tried to mix some business with pleasure by visiting the Bell factory in Richards Bay with the view of obtaining an agency. No such luck. At the same time we visited a cane farmer, a friend of Vernon’s whose name I cannot recall but was struck by two things on our visit. The first was the security precautions they had to take just to get about their daily lives. In that area at the time farmers, as is now in much of South Africa, were fair game for violent criminals who more often than not were inclined to kill you. It was a real shock to us, despite having lived through the Rhodesian war. The difference causing the shock was this was during peacetime and the state seemed to be offering the farmers little or no protection. The second thing was the very low yields compared to cane yields at home. In Zimbabwe cane yields in the Lowveld were averaging one hundred and twenty tonnes under irrigation, while here in Natal, the home of sugarcane in Africa, they were only achieving between sixty and seventy tonnes. Why? Because, for whatever reason they had not invested in bulk water storage and infield irrigation. Many on our visit to the area had left it too late to do so, already being in chronic debt. Big lesson about the importance of irrigation, the use of which as a crop production tool we took for granted in Zimbabwe. 

An overhead view of Dawerin Machinery Field Day in Western Australia. Similar to NAMPO in South Africa

We enjoyed both rugby games, winning one, losing one with South Africa winning the series 2-1 despite us losing our hire car in Durban for a few days. Alcohol can affect the memory. I fell ill while in Richards Bay and the doctor that treated me there on hearing we were returning to Durban for a few days kindly gave us the use of his flat in Balito Bay. How generous was that of a stranger. His only request was to keep the windows shut because of the monkeys. We failed.

Droughtmaster cattle. Pictures of my own are amongst the things that went missing during the farm invasions

The second trip was to Western Australia on the invitation of the Western Australian government to attend the Dowerin Machinery Field Days, held annually in Dowerin, Western Australia, on the last Wednesday and Thursday of August. This is Western Australia’s premium and largest agricultural event and once again we were there looking at taking up agencies, one of which we were later to do successfully being ‘Grizzly Implements’ makers of heavy land preparation equipment, especially geared for broadacre farming. Over the next few years many of Zimbabwe’s top crop farmers bought Grizzly Disc Harrows through us. It was a small business but it allowed us to travel on a business visa to Australia and if required a stepping stone to that country. Vernon was the only one of us four to move there after the farm invasions.Needless to say visiting Australia was to open a new dimension to our social life. On that first trip of many I also became aware of ‘Droughtmaster’ cattle and was determined to import some into Zimbabwe. I think the answer from a large Australian rancher when questioned on their benefit triggered my interest:

 “They can survive off soft stones.”

Disclaimer: Copyright Peter McSporran. The content in this blog represents my personal views and does not reflect corporate entities.