This archive report was first published on 26 August 2019.
Published on August 26, 2019, a South African court ordered the seizure of an Air Tanzania plane worth $90 million over an unpaid compensation claim for a farmer's land nationalized in the 1980s.
The plane was seized on Friday at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport after it landed during a scheduled flight from Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania's economic capital.
The seizure followed an order granted by the High Court in Johannesburg on Wednesday, in favor of a Namibian-born Tanzanian farmer who was awarded $33 million in compensation in the 1990s.
However, the Tanzanian government only paid $20 million, leaving an outstanding balance of $16 million that has accrued interest over the decades, now standing at $33 million.
The farmer, who was declared a prohibited immigrant in Tanzania on baseless grounds, has been fighting for years to get the outstanding amount and approached lawyers in South Africa to secure the remaining money.
"Literally after decades of broken promises, promises to pay, acknowledging the indebtedness, the plaintiff was left with no option, he came to me," said Roger Wakefield, the farmer's lawyer.
Wakefield added that the plane was seized to certify a long outstanding debt to the plaintiff, which the government of Tanzania has always acknowledged but breached their undertaking.
The only way the aircraft can now be released is if the Tanzanian government pays the debt or puts up security for the claim.
Tanzania's transport ministry said the plane was prevented from taking off by a decision of the High Court of Gauteng, Johannesburg, and is working to secure the release of the plane so it can resume its flights as usual.
