The Zimbabwean - South African News

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ZPF to launch Civil Dialogue

JOHANESBURG The Zimbabwe Pastors Forum (ZPF) has announced plans to launch Civic Dialogue Africa in Johannesburg next week.
This is a grouping of all African nations based in South Africa whose main aims are to promote dialogue and find possible ways of ending xenophobia between foreigners and the host community of South African.
Plans include a new radio station, a College of African Languages and a Media Centre.
Speaking at the Advisory Council Board (ACB) executive meeting on Saturday, ZPF president, Steven Chiadzwa, said the group would engage the SA government and
other authority structures in policy formulation on issues that impact on people’s lives.
"We need to bring together the immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees and the South Africans to establish the critical space for communication and interaction," he said.
An advisory council has been established, including the Hillbrow Police Press and Public Relations Officer, Inspector Malumanye, Editor of CAJ News Savious-Parker Kwinika, Zimbabwe Tortured Victims Political (ZTVP) Sox Chikohwero, Hope Centre Director Pastor Robert Murenje, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), South Africa Jubilee, Wits University and SA Home Affairs department. Meanwhile, more than 200 asylum seekers and refugees in Diepsvloot recently received food, blankets and clothes from the ZPF last weekend. Hope Centre Coordinator, Pastor Richard Guvakuva, Pastor Guvakuva handed over 10 bags of blankets, dozens of pairs of shoes, clothes and food.
"We feel there is a need to help the people of God not only spiritually but physically. It’s not good enough to just preach to the hungry but we have an obligation to feed them when they are hungry and thirsty. We care for the poor and those in
difficult situations like the ones we are assisting today," said Pastor Guvakuva. CAJ News



SA police suspended for bribery

JOHANNESBURG - Two police officers at Hillbrow have been arrested and suspended for demanding bribes from Zimbabwean teachers. Inspector Malumanye, the Hillbrow Police’s Press and Public Relations made the announcement at the Africa Civic Dialogue meeting in Braamfontein."Two police officers were arrested and suspended without salary for demanding bribes from the Zimbabwean teachers," said Insp Malumanye. Own correspondent



ARVs only for the rich

JOHANNESBURG Before going for HIV tests in 1998, Albert Ngwenya (38) had lost his baby girl, but had no clue what may have caused the death of his beloved child.
"I then went for HIV testing at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo where I realised I was living with the HIV/AIDS infection. At first I did not know what to do and ignored everything that the doctors and nurses advised me to do. I could not believe the results and did not talk to anyone about my HIV status including my wife," said Ngwenya.
Ngwenya is married to Sikangeziwe Nyathi (34) and the couple have two children, Ricardo (16) and Raybin (13).
Narrating his story to CAJ News, Ngwenya, who worked as a security guard at a security company in Bulawayo said decided to go for some second HIV tests a few months later.
"Once again, I repeated my HIV tests in 2000 to establish as to whether I was really HIV positive or not. Again, I went to Mpilo Hospital where I tested positive for the second time. It is then that I became open to my wife Sikangeziwe about my HIV status," says Ngwenya, who is now living in Johannesburg, South Africa.
"On 28th December 2005, I left for SA in a haulage truck. I had no money and begged the haulage truck drivers to just assist me," said Ngwenya. When he arrived in SA, he took refugee at Refugee Reception Centre in Marabastad where he would pick up some food leftovers for survival.
"Since I became HIV positive, I am teaching some youths and other elderly people about HIV/AIDS. Some are suspicious about their previous actions. If I had resources, I could go around schools in Johannesburg and Gauteng province teaching about HIV/AIDS," said Ngwenya.
While he remains in SA with no end in sight to his problems, back home his family and many other people in the same predicament are having difficulties in securing ARVs. At Z$8 million a month, the drugs are the preserve of the rich only. - CAJ News



SA govt plans media censorship

JOHANNESBURG - Reporters Without Borders has joined the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef), the Media Institute of Southern Africa-South Africa (MISA-SA) and the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) in urging parliament to reject a bill proposed by the government that would open the way to censorship.
The Film and Publications Amendment Bill 2006 is currently being debated by the parliamentary subcommittee for Home Affairs before being submitted to the full parliament.
"In an increasingly free and open media environment, protection of the youngest and most sensitive viewers and readers is vital, but the South African government - whose relations with the media have declined sharply in the space of few years - should not take advantage of a sense of concern to try to restrict press freedom," Reporters Without Borders said.
"We therefore call on the parliamentary committee to reject this draft of the bill and we urge the government to organise proper consultation with the journalistic community and civil society with the aim of forging agreement on a legitimate version," the organisation added.
A spokesman said FXI was concerned about the current situation, in which the government was adopting an increasingly conservative attitude towards social problems and displaying growing hostility towards the news media. "The gains the South African media made with the end of apartheid in 1994 are starting to be eroded," he said. Own correspondent



SA police thugs attack Zims: Valuables stolen, several injured

JOHANNESBURG The South African Police Service (SAPS) on Thursday stormed the Methodist House in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, in a late night raid that left many people either injured or without their valuable belongings.
The Methodist House is home to South African NGOs Coalition (SANGOCO) offices, Home of Saints Offices and is also a home to asylum seekers from around Africa.
An estimated 30 plain-clothes police officers driving unmarked vehicles with no number plates raided the refugees who were fast asleep. Among their victims was the editor of the Centre for African Journalists (CAJ News), Savious-Parker Kwinika who lost three cameras and R400 cash.
The police kicked open his door, turned his bed upside down and eventually broke his bed. They also soaked the blankets in cold water and destroyed several kitchens utensils.
Kwinika, who is also a Journalism and Media Studies student at Wits University was faster asleep in his apartment when the police smashed his door.
The sad development prompted the Independent Complaints Directorate of South Africa (ICD) to quickly move in and launched investigations against charges levelled against the SAPS during the night. An official from ICD advised the victims of the police brutality to open cases against the law enforcement agency.
The ICD is an independent department that was established in April 1997 to investigate complaints, criminality and misconduct against members of the South African Police Service, and the Municipal Police Service (MPS).
The ICD investigates the involvement of SAPS members in criminal activities such as assault, theft, corruption, robbery, rape among other criminal offences.
It was not only Kwinika who was left aggrieved. Police assaulted several other people sleeping on the ground floor and left them injured.
"I was awoken by the loud noise of the door when the police forcibly kicked it open. They were pointing guns to my head. They forced me out of the house. People at the house were not armed but were fast asleep. The manner in which they approached us was so unprofessional; it seemed like an act of thuggery. Instead of searching for whatever they were looking for, they ended up stealing from us," said Kwinika.
Another person, who was severely assaulted with a gun was Jabulani Kona (43). He was beaten with the butt of the gun whilst asleep. There was blood all over the floor.
"I was asleep and suddenly I was hit on the side of the head with a metal object. The left side of my head was sustained a deep gush. I was forced outside the building where several dozens of people were being taken finger prints though not a single person was arrested. I then asked them to take me to the hospital but they refused until I went to the Methodist Central to inform Bishop Paul Verryn," said Kona.
Kona was then taken by an Ambulance to Hillbrow Clinic early Friday morning at around 0200hrs. He was treated and discharged.
Bishop Verryn had not issued a statement by the time of going to press. He was busy raising complaints with senior police officer to immediately look into the conduct of their juniors at Braamfontein. - CAJ News