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Bloemfontein - The Supreme Court of Appeal on Monday reserved judgment in the appeal hearing of the South African government against a court order in favour of Free State businessman Crawford von Abo who was suing for farms lost in Zimbabwe.
The government was appealing against a High Court order which found that it had failed to deal with Von Abo's request for diplomatic protection and should compensate him for his losses.
Von Abo, a former chairperson of South Africa's maize and wheat boards, built up a large farming enterprise over 50 years in Zimbabwe, but was left penniless when "settlers" invaded and virtually destroyed his 14 farms in Zimbabwe.
He has since 2008 tried to get the South African government to take diplomatic steps to address the violation of his rights in Zimbabwe.
In February 2010, the South Gauteng High Court found that the South African government had a constitutional obligation to provide diplomatic protection.
It ordered that the government had 60 days to take all necessary steps to have Von Abo's violation of rights by Zimbabwe remedied.
The government was appealing against a High Court order which found that it had failed to deal with Von Abo's request for diplomatic protection and should compensate him for his losses.
Von Abo, a former chairperson of South Africa's maize and wheat boards, built up a large farming enterprise over 50 years in Zimbabwe, but was left penniless when "settlers" invaded and virtually destroyed his 14 farms in Zimbabwe.
He has since 2008 tried to get the South African government to take diplomatic steps to address the violation of his rights in Zimbabwe.
In February 2010, the South Gauteng High Court found that the South African government had a constitutional obligation to provide diplomatic protection.
It ordered that the government had 60 days to take all necessary steps to have Von Abo's violation of rights by Zimbabwe remedied.
