Impounded Air Tanzania plane allowed to leave South Africa
What you need to know:
- South African court has set aside an earlier decision to impound the plane.
- A farmer had sought the order saying he was owed at least $13 million (Sh1.3 billion) in compensation for his land that was nationalised decades ago by the Tanzanian government.
A South African court has set aside an earlier decision to impound an Air Tanzania plane.
The plane, an Airbus 220-300, had been prevented from taking off from Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport on August 24 because of a court injunction.
A farmer had sought the order saying he was owed at least $13 million (Sh1.3 billion) in compensation for his land that was nationalised decades ago by the Tanzanian government.
In the 1980s, Tanzania nationalised a massive, privately-owned bean and seed farm, seizing everything including equipment, 250 cars and 12 small planes.
The Namibian-born Tanzanian farm owner was awarded $33 million (Sh3.3 billion) in compensation in the 1990s -- but the government only paid $20 million (Sh2 billion).
The farmer has been fighting for years to get the outstanding amount.
The Tanzanian authorities acknowledge that the farmer is owed money but their lawyer believes South Africa has no jurisdiction over the dispute.
-Reporting by BBC and AFP
