Locals protest against the brutal crackdown in Zimbabwe
ZIMBABWEANS living in South Africa have appealed to the Southern African Development Community ( SADC) and the African Union (AU) to help resolve the crisis in their country.
Speaking at the Durban City Hall yesterday, secretary for the Zimbabwe Solidarity movement ,Liberty Kwanisai said they staged the picket because they were worried about their families back home.
“We gathered here today to sign a petition for the South African government and SADC to have regional courts which will independently resolve regional matters,” he said.
He added that they want South African government to move a motion to Zimbabwe.
Department of International Relations and Cooperation spokesperson, Ndivhuwo Mbaya said they had been in talks to resolve the current economic challenges.
“We are happy that things are getting back to normal. It will give the government of Zimbabwe and stakeholders in Zimbabwe space and opportunity to attend to the economic challenges,” he said.
The co-chairpersons of the Law Society of South Africa, Mvuzo Notyesi and Ettienne Barnard have urged the Zimbabwean government to normalise the situation immediately.
They said there was currently a High Court application brought by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Zimbabwe Chapter) challenging the government’s shutdown of the internet.
The news comes after Zimbabwe’s internet connection was partially restored on Friday at around 4pm after State Security Minister Owen Ncube on Wednesday night ordered another total shutdown.
After the internet connection blackout order, Econet Wireless, the biggest mobile network operator in the country, sent a message to customers:
“At 22:05, we were served with another directive for a total shutdown of the internet until further notice. Our lawyers advised we are required to comply with the directive pending the court’s decision on its legality.
“The earlier directives are already the subject of a pending High Court application. We sincerely apologise for all inconveniences caused by the acts of government, which are beyond our reasonable control.”
The government ordered a shutdown of internet services following violent protests that have rocked Zimbabwe since Monday after fuel price hikes, the worsening economy and a 2% tax on mobile money transactions.
Two suspected protesters at a medical clinic in the capital said that each had had a finger cut off.
Another victim said soldiers would either tear-gas them out of their homes or kick down doors to gain entry and drag away children as young as 11.
Norman, who stays in Domboshava, said soldiers went door-to-door beating men and young boys.
“I had locked myself in my house. They went to the next house. They beat up a boy who was around 11 years so badly,” he said.
In high-density suburbs, many said they were made to roll in flowing sewage, the lucky ones escaping into thick bushes, mealie fields or mountains.
For the unlucky, they said it would take “forever” for their mental scars to heal.
“It was a dragnet. They didn’t care and never listened to anyone. Men, women, children all fell victim to the soldiers’ barbaric acts. We now fear returning to our homes,” said another victim of the brutality.
A man in his 30s said he was made to touch hot tyre wires, which scalded his hands.
Besides the nine people who died in the streets, the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights said on Thursday that of the injured they had received, five had died, bringing the number of known deaths to 14.
On Friday, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said it had noted the human rights violations with concern since the start of the protests.
The forum said it had recorded 844 human rights violations, with 12 deaths and 78 injuries from gunshots.
Hundreds of civic society leaders and political activists have gone into hiding.
By late Friday evening, more roadblocks were being set up on most roads leading into the capital. African News Agency noticed the military was maintaining a heavy presence in most high-density suburbs. |
A POPULAR catchphrase in Britain in the early 1900s, often repeated from time to time, said: “Old soldiers never die, they simply fade away”.
It was generally in reference to decorated army commanders, who after illustrious careers in the military, faded out of the spotlight into retirement and obscurity.
On a lighter note, the phrase often spawned a host of funny variants such as “old policemen never die, they just cop out” or old golfers who just lose their balls.
The question to ask in South Africa is: Does the catchphrase also apply to old politicians like Jacob Zuma, whose scandal-scarred career as president ended after intense pressure from his party a year ago?
Just when you thought you’d seen the back of the former president and imagined him nestling in the warmth of his Nkandla homestead, his image just keeps popping up into our psyches like those irritating ads on the internet.
Love him or loathe him, it seems impossible to ignore him. And that’s simply because the old man is not the sort of politician who bows out gracefully after losing a scrap.
Although he has been publicly flying the ANC flag and encouraging citizens to vote for the ruling party in the May poll, many South Africans are still deeply suspicions about his intentions.
They can’t seem to fathom whether he is operating beneath the radar to avoid accusations of interfering in the party’s affairs or working surreptitiously behind the scenes to undermine the new ANC leadership.
Speculation has been rife that he’s searching for a new political home because he wants to avoid having to answer awkward questions about his links to the notorious Guptas and state capture.
One story doing the rounds claims Zuma had been involved in secret talks to launch the new African Transformation Movement (ATM) which is linked to former media owner and Gupta associate Mzwanele Jimmy Manyi.
There was also speculation he had been flirting with the Mazibuye African Congress led by Reggie Ngcobo.
Is Zuma planning for a new life after the ANC?
It’s a question all three major political parties will be pondering in the weeks before the election.
With a new poll showing a slight increase in ANC support ahead of the poll, the ruling ANC will be hoping Zuma does nothing to buck that trend.
The DA, which capitalised handsomely from the Zuma scandals, will also be worried. It’s been argued that many black voters only voted DA to get rid of Zuma.
With JZ gone, will that mean a migration back to the ANC?
And what awaits the EFF, which the poll shows has lost some ground in recent months. Their abrasive style of politics worked wonders when Zuma was their target. Will they be shooting blanks with JZ no longer at the helm of the ANC?
Watch this space.
What awaits the EFF? Will they be shooting blanks with JZ no longer at the helm of the ANC?