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The ministers had earlier met Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in Harare. The new partners in the Save Valley Conservancy also met journalists to set the record straight.
Minister Nhema last night confirmed the meetings and said he would meet the stakeholders for a lasting solution.
“We have been advised to go and look into the matter. We will bring all parties involved together to find a lasting solution,” he said.
Minister Mzembi refused to divulge issues that were discussed in the meeting.
“All I can say is the matter has been resolved amicably and Minister Nhema will make an appropriate statement at the right time,” he said.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Mr Luke Tamborinyoka confirmed the PM met the ministers.
“The Prime Minister met Minister Nhema, Minister Mzembi and the Governor and Resident Minister for Masvingo Titus Maluleke. I, however, cannot give you information on their deliberations,” he said.
Meanwhile, beneficiaries who received 25-year leases from Government to partner the farmers in the conservancy yesterday came out with their guns blazing.
The group, led by Chiredzi South legislator Cde Ailess Baloyi, Chiredzi North MP Cde Ronald Ndaba and Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairman Cde Lovemore Matuke said they were not going back on the programme.
Cde Baloyi said this was an empowerment programme to do away with colonial imbalances.
He, however, added that they would recognise the work done by the Save Valley Conservancy Trust in working with communities in the area.
“This is a programme with serious economic benefits for the communities but it’s not unique to Masvingo,” he said.
Cde Baloyi said their activities were not meant to destabilise Zimbabwe’s chances of hosting the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly.
“The programme was there since 2007 way before the issue of the General Assembly came to Zimbabwe.
“What we are trying to do is correct the historic imbalances caused by colonialism and opening up opportunities for blacks in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Cde Baloyi, however, blamed the farmers for refusing to work with them. “We have tried to engage our partners with little joy. They were adamant that they do not want to see us. We are the rightful players in the Save Valley Conservancy because we have the leases and the other guys do not have anything.”
He called for dialogue.
“We need to engage in constructive dialogue. We believe the advertisements being published are in bad faith. We are seeing a replay of the kind of propaganda that was used by the Ian Smith regime.
“We have, however, seen that this is the kind of ill treatment being done to the workers at the conservancy.”
Cde Baloyi added that they were ready to engage their new partners.
“Noone will lose their jobs and noone will be chased off the land.
“We want to engage them to find a solution to the impasse.”
Cde Ndaba said they would not accept the conservancy members’ community ownership trust model.
“The surrounding communities have not benefited anything except meat and the people would not benefit from the 10 percent the farmers are offering.”
The new leaseholders were, however, at pains to justify claims that most of them had benefited in other areas under the indigenisation programme.
“Conservancies are different from the farms because they are proper businesses.
“It is like opening a supermarket and you need to put in money.
“We are busy working on our budgets but there is not much that is needed in this business,” Cde Ndaba said.
They denied allegations of poaching in the conservancy.
Online Reporter