Zim 'fire' crossing into SA
09/04/2008 16:21  - (SA)  

Want to know more? Answerit can help.

SADC calls Zim crisis meeting Court urged to reject MDC claim Mugabe fans 'in poll backlash' No plan for MDC-Mbeki talks Tsvangirai to meet Mbeki MDC appeals for foreign help

Zimbabwe Special Report  Latest Zimbabwe Stories

Johannesburg - Zimbabwe's "fire" was crossing to South Africa, the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum (ZSF) said on Wednesday.

"It has already started," ZSF peace and repression monitor Joyce Dube said at a ZSF press briefing in Johannesburg.

"A lot of people are crossing the borders and the SA Department of Home Affairs doesn't cope with it," she said.

Dube said: "Zimbabwe's sons are coming to South Africa looking for jobs and they are exploited. They get the dirtiest jobs.

"The men are influenced by the wealth they see around them and are tempted.

"They go into crime, and the system is letting them. If they are caught, they bribe the police. They are never punished."

Bishop Paul Verryn, of the Central Methodist Church where many Zimbabwean nationals find refuge, said it was a "disgrace" that Zimbabweans were turning to crime.

"Zimbabwe is a country at war with itself," he said.

"South Africa should recognise that these Zimbabweans are not coming here on a shopping spree, but because they are desperate. Economic refugees are non-existent in relation to Zimbabwe."

Dube said although she was seeing a positive change in attitude among South Africans towards Zimbabwean immigrants, South African leaders were not following suit.

President Thabo Mbeki was protecting his "friend" Mugabe.

"(The African Union and Southern African Development Community) have become more like a union. They (the members) are protecting each other.

"They should lay sanctions on Zimbabwe, and expel a member who is not following the rules."

What is this? Yahoo Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Brought to you by OUTsurance Car Insurance
	News24 Headlines on your Facebook profile		News24 on mobile