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Members of a support group of the Mazwi Invaders go through the court papers before their hearing at Western Commonage yesterday

Mpumelelo Nyoni Court Reporter—
NEARLY 200 people who were illegally settled at Bulawayo City Council-owned Mazwi Game Sanctuary besieged Western Commonage Court yesterday where two alleged Zanu-PF supporters appeared facing charges of trespassing. They allegedly parcelled out the stands to more than 400 people on the game park.

Tariro Mugovanyika, 34, the chairperson of the Mazwi group and his alleged accomplice Mark Muunganirwa, 35, appeared before Magistrate Tancy Dube facing criminal trespass charges after allocating themselves and about 400 other people stands on the property.

Over 200 beneficiaries, some of whom were wearing Zanu-PF regalia and ferried in about five trucks thronged the Western Commonage courts, singing and chanting slogans.

Court officials had a torrid time trying to explain to the members that only 10 representatives were allowed to enter the premises.
Magistrate Dube granted Mugovanyika and Muunganirwa free bail after the duo pleaded not guilty in a packed court gallery of the land beneficiaries which exceeded the stipulated 10 representatives allowed in court.

The two would be back in court on September 9.
When asked by magistrate Dube if they had money for bail, the pair told her to consider who they were and as such were expecting to be granted free bail.

“Your worship, we don’t have money for bail. We want this court to consider who we are and who we are representing. As such we expect this court to give us free bail,” said Mugovanyika.

Quizzed by the magistrate on how they were going home without any money, they told her there were people who had availed enough transport for them.

Prosecuting, Sibekithemba Dube told the court how Mugovanyika and Muunganirwa unlawfully entered the council-owned land and started allocating stands to about 400 people.

The land was acquired by BCC in 1961 and the title deeds are available and they can be produced as evidence in court, the court heard.
The prosecutor added that even though the two had pleaded not guilty, they had no legal document to support their occupation of the council farm.

“On June 19 Mugovanyika and Muunganirwa unlawfully entered Mazwi Nature Reserve, land which belongs to BCC and is reserved for business ventures, church services, school campings, horse riding, dog tracking and cattle rearing. They then allocated land measuring 500 x 250 metres to themselves and other individuals numbering about 400 without the authority of the owner.

“They went on to cut down trees on the pieces of land which they’d allocated themselves and other individuals,” said Dube.
The appearance of the Mazwi group in court comes days after they clashed with owners of the neighbouring Red Bank farm after they occupied it saying it was not being utilised.

Last month, the group also occupied Zapu leader Dumiso Dabengwa’s farm in Nyamandlovu, but they were driven out by the police.
Zanu-PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo said the group were not members of the ruling party.