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Zimbabwe Report

Sport and politics don't mix?:

TEMBA MLISWA INVOLVED IN ASSAULT

By Simon Muchemwa

January 13, 2003

Yesterday, Alan Parsons's wife Jenny went out to the farm with son Andrew Parsons and friend Tim Withers (both 17), daughter Rebecca (11). They were confronted by Mliswa, who has claimed the farm as his own, even though it has only received a section 5 order. He demanded to know what they were doing there since it was no longer her farm, and he was allowed by the police and DA to be there. Jen informed him that was his occupation of her house and farming of her land was wrong. He exploded at that point, calling her a "fucking white bitch" etc. He told her to read today's newspaper to find out what was really going on and how things had changed on the ground. She waited until he was finished, and told him that he was illegally on the property.

Mliswa exploded again, told her that she was to get into her car, and that they were going to the police station. As she was approaching the car, he came up behind her and slapped the back of her head, snapped her necklace, and pulled her earring off. The Parsons got into the car, and started driving out of the security fence, and they were suddenly surrounded by about 30 youths. Men were jumping on the bonnet, trying to grab the keys out of the ignition. They punched Andrew through the window, and Mliswa dragged Jenny out of the car by the neck and tried to steal her cell phone, but she managed to hide it under her shirt. He slapped and punched Jen a lot. Andrew asked them to leave his mother alone and stared hitting him whereupon a couple of others set upon Jen (about 5 of them). Mliswa called out to them saying "No Marks! No Marks!". A youth came to beat up the son, who had now been beaten to the ground and was begging them to stop hitting him and his mother, four of them laid into him, punching and kicking. Tim was slammed into the canopy face first, and has suffered severe bruising, numbness and a very painful ear. They separated the three whilst kicking and punching them preventing them from helping each other or Rebecca in the back of the truck. The mob then grabbed the three (Jen, Tim and Andrew) and started taking them into the house.

During this debacle, Mliswa continued with his verbal abuse, screaming racial slurs at Jen, between attacks. Rebecca was screaming and hysterical in the car, asking for help and calling for her mother but unable to get out. She begged the gardener to help her and he refused. After taking them into the house, Jen expressed great concern about Rebecca being left outside on her own but was not allowed to get her and Mliswa ordered two people to fetch Rebecca from the vehicle and bring her in. They took the child out of the car and told her that if she did not stop crying she would "face the same treatment" as her mother. They took her into the house with the others, who were forced to sit and listen, not allowing Jen to sit with her daughter and proceeded to give them a political lecture.

After a while, Andrew stood up and told everyone that they needed to calm down, because things were getting out of hand. This took them off guard and the Pasrons realized that by being submissive and apologizing for any misunderstanding it seemed to pacify Mliswa. Mliswa told them that the mob could have killed them, and that he was the only thing holding them back and that all he was doing was protecting them. However, after a while, he let them go. He apologised to the children and told them that they had suffered huge trauma but it was a result of their mother's "white arrogance". He said their mother needed disciplining and that this had now been done and they could go. He told them to get off the farm and never come back or they would be killed. Rebecca pleaded with him over the safety of her horse and he informed her that he would take care of things.

They went to see Kelvin Weir, who took control of the situation. They went to the police station. They spoke to Inspector Khumalo, who told them that he now has the green light to arrest Mliswa. Khumalo sent them to the front desk to make two separate reports - one for assault and one for theft. All the locks on the farm have been removed and replaced by Mliswa as well as a Landini tractor and 120 mainline pipes, a heavy duty jack, and a carpet have been stolen. The constable at the front desk informed them there were no RRB numbers as they were out of stock and in future to make reports to the front desk and not direct to the Inspector. His manner was offensive. Statements were made, and they went to the hospital for examination. After examination the medical forms were returned to the police station. Another constable informed them that there was one charge of GBH regarding Jen and two common assault charges involving the 2 boys. The daughter is completely traumatized and requires counseling and medical attention.

End

The Herald - Thursday 09 January, 2003

Zifa election date set

"Despite the short period in which (Leo) Mugabe's replacement has to be found, a number of names have already been touted to contest for the ZIFA chairmanship. Outspoken fitness trainer and administrator Temba Mliswa has put his name in, as has controversial Northern Region chairman Francis Zimunya."

Nothing in Zimbabwe can readily be separated from politics, much less sport, and it is foolhardy for anyone to imagine it is otherwise. TEMBA MLISWA is a controversial ZANU PF member, and has been implicated in a number of underhanded business dealings in recent years. He has now nominated himself for manager of the beleaguered Zimbabwe Football Association, which has suffered under the corrupt administration of Leo Mugabe, nephew to the president.

In a similar manner, Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the head of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, and several of the Zimbabwean cricketers have lost farms and homes as a result of his policies. Very few of the major sports coordinating organizations are free from political influence. Just as sporting organisations across the world boycotted apartheid South Africa, so they should boycott Zimbabwe in protest at the extensive human rights

carried out by the ruling party.