Emilia Zindi
Government has been called upon to redistribute thousands of hectares of sugarcane plantations in the Lowveld to indigenous landless people of Zimbabwe who are yearning for a chance to break into the lucrative industry.

The call was made by the Zimbabwe Sugarcane Development Association (ZSDA) chairman, Mr Edmore Veterai, who expressed concern over Tongaat Hullet, which still owns about 29 000 hectares of land, saying it should be redistributed under the land reform programme.
Addressing sugarcane farmers at a general meeting held in Chiredzi over the weekend, Mr Veterai said it was worrying that thousands of hectares under sugarcane are owned by a single company.

“It is my hope that the 29 000 hectares of land that are owned by Tongaat Hullet will be redistributed in a proper and equitable manner so that everyone benefits. The Hippo Valley workers who have the expertise should also get land. They must all have land,” he said.
Mr Veterai urged sugarcane farmers in the Lowveld to continue working hard towards cane production so that the gains of the liberation struggle would not be reversed.

Sugarcane farmers in the Chiredzi area have for a long time been struggling to produce on the farms due to limited access to financial assistance as well as the absence of a Government subsidised input schemes.
As a result, most farmers have been forced to engage in contract farming with Tongaat Hullet.

Farmers argue that the company should be mandated to focus on milling only.
Tongaat Hullet’s chief executive Mr Sydney Mutsambiwa confirmed his company’s operations in Zimbabwe comprise 29 000 hectares of developed cane-land and 15 880 hectares being farmed privately.

He said the company also has 42 000 employees working in six African countries namely Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa. 
Mr Mutsambiwa claimed the company also plays a leading role in uplifting the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans.

“Tongaat Hullet Zimbabwe is involved in many socio-economic development programmes, including private farmer cane-land rehabilitation through SusCo, a national herd development project in which so far 30 bulls have been donated to various communities in Masvingo province, procurement of goods and services from local communities worth $113 million, purification of Chiredzi town water supply, provision of education support to 11 787 pupils through our 21 schools as well as education welfare support to surrounding communities, among other projects,’’ he said.