First victim of the land invasions in Zimbabwe, David Stevens, is murdered

Date: 15 Apr 2000
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

A White farmer, Davis Stevens, was shot dead in Zimbabwe by squatters occupying his land. He was the first White farmer to be killed in the on-going land confrontations involving so-called "war veterans" backed by President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party. Stevens was taken from his property 75 miles (120 kilometres) east of the capital, Harare, and driven into the bush. It was alleged that Stevens was targeted due to his support for the Movement of Democratic Change (MDC). Five other farmers who tried to help Stevens were also abducted - they were later released badly beaten. One of them, John Osborne, witnessed Stevens' murder.

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01ITN, (2000), ZIMBABWE/INDIA: WIFE OF MURDERED WHITE FRAMER DAVID STEVENS SAYS SHE WILL REMAIN IN ZIMBABWE TO FIGHT FOR CHANGE, from ITNSOURCE, 17 April [online], Available at www.itnsource.com [Accessed: 15 April 2014]
02Beeston, R. & Dynes, M., Zimbabwe close to civil war, from Zimbabwe Situation, [online], Available at www.zimbabwesituation.com [Accessed: 15 April 2014]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). First victim of the land invasions in Zimbabwe, David Stevens, is murdered. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013479

South African History Online (2011) 'First victim of the land invasions in Zimbabwe, David Stevens, is murdered', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013479 (Accessed: 24 July 2026).

South African History Online, First victim of the land invasions in Zimbabwe, David Stevens, is murdered [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013479, (accessed 24 July 2026).

"First victim of the land invasions in Zimbabwe, David Stevens, is murdered." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013479. Accessed 24 July 2026.

South African History Online. "First victim of the land invasions in Zimbabwe, David Stevens, is murdered." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013479.