The farmers are challenging the government's plan to resettle blacks on more than 3,000 white-owned farms.

Thousands have illegally moved on to white-owned farms to get better water supplies and grazing lands.

About 1,750 white-owned farms are still occupied by black squatters.

Last month, the government published a list of 804 white-owned farms it wants to seize.

About 800 white-owned farms have been invaded and occupied in recent weeks.

Little land had been redistributed and frustrated groups of government supporters began seizing white-owned farms.

In recent weeks black squatters have occupied more than 800 white-owned farms.

Violence has widened as plans expand to redistribute white-owned farms to blacks.

But the Government's plans to expropriate 70 farms, mostly white-owned, has given many second thoughts.

But the government's chaotic and violent seizure of white-owned farms has come at a price.