Zim farmer reaches Windhoek by horseback to petition SADC Tribunal

Zimbabwean farmer and activist Ben Freeth completed his journey to Windhoek in a bid to have the suspended Southern African Development Community (SADC) Tribunal, which is based in Namibia, re-established. In a unanimous decision on 28 November 2008, the tribunal ordered Robert Mugabe’s government to protect “possession, occupation and ownership” of all applicants’ farms, except for two who had already been forcibly evicted. The state was ordered to pay them compensation. However, Mugabe ignored the ruling. Freeth and his family, including his children, reportedly suffered increasing harassment and threats as they continued to run their farm, until their home and those of their farmworkers were burnt down by war veterans eight months later - on 30 August 2009.Freeth travelled from Zimbabwe to Windhoek on horseback to hand over a memorandum to the tribunal, asking that this court be restored to its full powers.The government of Zimbabwe withdrew from the tribunal in an attempt to avoid being compelled to adhere to its future verdicts.Asked why he was travelling to Windhoek on horseback, Freeth told GroundUp: “You can sit at home and write a letter or email, which might get a response, or you can walk 2 000 kilometres to do it, which is more likely to get a response”.The epic journey gave impetus to the cause, he said, and “captured people’s imagination”, earning him “overwhelming support” in the process.– Additional reporting by GroundUp

Zim farmer reaches Windhoek by horseback to petition SADC Tribunal

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-31

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Zim farmer reaches Windhoek by horseback to petition SADC Tribunal

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-31

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