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SA NGOs call for travel ban on Mugabe

JOHANNESBURG – The South African community has called on President Thabo Mbeki to put a travel ban on Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and his ministers following the deportation of a coalition of the South African Youth Solidarity Forum.
The South African youths from various national bodies were deported upon arrival at the Harare International Airport on Wednesday last week.
Among other deported youth leaders comprise Young Communist League (YCL) National Secretary-General, Buti Manamela, South African Students Council Provincial Secretary for North West, Mothusi Tsineg, SA Youth Council executive official Nduluza Gceba, Young Christian Students Secretary-General, Bheki Mcetywa, Students Union for Christian Action, Thoko Ntone and Lucian Segami of the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum.
Addressing journalists on Thursday at COSATU House, Manamela, said the nation now want President Mbeki to effect a ban on the “increasingly unreliable Zimbabwean government”.
During the meeting, several South African NGOs Coalition (SANGOCCO), COSATU, The South Africa Communist Party (SACP), South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) and several other civic organisations were represented.
The organisations at the press conference called with one voice urging the African National Congress (ANC) and President Mbeki to put a travel ban on Mugabe and his ministers following the deportation on Wednesday.
The deportation came hard on the heels of an attempt by the ZSF delegation to visit Zimbabwe in solidarity with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).
Mothusi Tsineng of the South Africa Students Congress, North West Provincial Secretary, castigated this move by the government of Zimbabwe saying that the rule of law had now become a non-existent feature.
“The rule of law is not respected in Zimbabwe, and our passports were scratched by the CIO officers who were at the airport. The manner in which people are picketing in Zimbabwe shows that all is not well in the country,” said Tsineng.
There are reports that the deported delegation noticed the presence of CIO officers in the plane that was taking them to Zimbabwe.
“The CIO must operate and carry out its activities on Zimbabwean soil. It is not proper that they should be seen invading the South African territory to come and do their intelligence activities here,” said Buti Manamela, the Secretary General of the South Africa Communist Party (SACP) Youth League wing.
He said it was ironic that their own government did not subject them to such surveillance and it was saddening and alarming that they were now under the surveillance of a foreign intelligence organisation.
The decision to deport the delegation was indicative of the increasingly repressive and dogmatic attitude of the Zanu (PF) government.
The visit by the ZSF was made with the intention of making interpretations of the current socio-economic and political situation in Zimbabwe, meet with the government, the ruling party, civil society and the opposition to gain a wide understanding of the present political situation in Zimbabwe.
The visit by the ZSF was also an attempt to gain first hand insights into the impact of the wave of the displacements associated with Operation Murambatsvina.
Manamela pointed out that prior to this visit they had spoken extensively to the Ministry of Youth Development and Minister Savious Kasukuwere in particular and had also informed the Zimbabwean Ambassador Simon Khaya-Moyo.
“It is this kind of repression that contributes to the migration of Zimbabweans into South Africa. Without lasting solutions the crisis in Zimbabwe will continue to directly affect us here,” said the Secretary General of SACP.
The Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum is a network of progressive South African civil society organisations, including youth, women, labour, faith-based, human rights and student formations engaged in the promotion of solidarity for sustainable peace, democracy, and human rights in Zimbabwe. - CAJ News


Pressure mounts on Mbeki

JOHANNESBURG – Pressure is mounting on President Thabo Mbeki to take action against his Zimbabwean counterpart following the arrest and assault of trade union leaders last week.
The latest call comes from the Young Communist League (YCL), which was kicked out of SA's northern neighbour last week.
"We reiterate our call for speedy intervention by our government, the Southern African Development Community and the African Union. Our country is going to be the one that suffers most economically as continued poverty in that country leads to ordinary Zimbabweans fleeing here for better jobs and food," YCL national secretary Buti Manamela said.
About 2000 Zimbabweans are deported from SA every week, but many are known to come back soon thereafter because of the poor conditions in their country.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Minister of Labour, Membathisi Mdladlana, has been challenged to intervene on the persecution of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) officials and worsening violations of human rights in Zimbabwe.
Mdladlana is also current chairperson of the International Labour Organisation, and there has been rising concerns of the recent arrest, assaults and detention labour leaders.
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) called for the South African government to end its policy of quiet diplomacy and take a firm stance.
“Politics and political control is one thing, but human rights violation is completely another,” said Dennis George, General Secretary of FEDUSA.
“For too long we have let Zimbabwe be overlooked by the international community, the time has come to say this is no longer a matter of internal strife, it is a human rights issue.” - CAJ News


Gender and media awards

JOHANNESBURG - Zimbabweans proved that sexual discrimination in media reporting is not on the agenda, as they scooped four awards in a recent Gender and Media summit in South Africa. The awards were tightly contested with 187 entries in 12 categories from 12 different countries.
Virginia Muwanigwa, Phyllis Kachere, Tsvangirai Mukwazhi and Tsitsi Dangarembga all won awards which included a cash prize of R3,000 and an opportunity to speak at the summit.
Muwanigwa scooped the award for best print news and Kachere won her prize for her reporting on forced marriages of young girls. Dangaremba won the features award in the television category with her documentary Growing Stronger filmed and produced by an all female crew. Mukwazhi grabbed his award in the photography category.
Thomas Deve, the chairperson of the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) said: “The fact that Zimbabweans won several awards, demonstrates improved consciousness on gender mainstreaming in the media. Mukwazhi was among the three males recognised for their gender sensitive coverage of events in a clear demonstration that gender issues can be addressed eloquently and professionally by both men and women.” - KJW


10 die in Jozi blaze

HILLBROW - Four bodies of Zimbabweans, who died during a blaze in Johannesburg, are still lying cold and stiff, in a mortuary here, as family members battle to raise money for the funeral.
The four members of the same family perished when their Yeoville home was burnt down on Thursday night, killing 10 people.
The deceased’s relatives made a passionate plea to fellow Zimbabweans to donate cash to foot the transport costs of the bodies to Zimbabwe.
Tinashe Murindi, a cousin of the deceased said they needed R28 000 to take bodies of their dearly departed to their final resting place in Bikita in Masvingo province.
“We only managed to raise R2 500 and each body needs R7 000,” said a visibly shaken Murindi, who travelled from Zimbabwe over the weekend to collect the bodies.
The four were identified by Murindi as Helman Pauguti (30), Paguti’s wife Marvis Moyo (28), their five months old Truly and Patricia Machenjere (19).
Police spokesperson, Captain Schalk Bornman, said they were investigating the cause the fire.
Well-wishers who want to assist the family in this hour of need can contact David Magodho on 078 2075 892 or Norman Machenjere on 0838705023.
Chairman of the Zimbabwe Refugees Forum (ZRF) Tawanda Mswazie, who arrived at the scene of the inferno on Friday morning, expressed disappointment over the late arrival of the Johannesburg Emergency Services.
“The police were notified of the burning house by neighbours at 1130 pm, but only arrived at 4 am, despite of the fact that Yeoville police station is only 40m away from the house,” said Mswazie.
Mswazie added that it was sad that Zimbabweans were dying in South Africa like rats, simply because the Zanu (PF) regime was making it difficult for them to settle in their own country. - Sibanengi Dube