2005-10-13,+Zim+Solidarity+Forum+30+Oct,+Minutes


 * Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum – 30 September 2005, Wits**

= ‘When foreign policy becomes domestic policy” =


 * Thoko Matshe – Zimbabwean female activist**

The problem in Zimbabwe is an ongoing one and ‘we’ react like these are individual events (Op Murambatsvina) and miss out on the politics of the current environment. This is an ongoing problem and is a part of bad governance and repression. Nation wide people are being separated and redistributed, or held in ‘holding camps’. Government claims they are building new houses, but how can a government with no petrol, foreign currency, food or health care have the resources to fulfill this promise?

Zimbabweans keep adapting – it took us 20 years to recognize we have a regime and not a government – how long will it take before we take action now? The fear of what could happen to us is largely greater than what can actually happen to us!

3 weeks ago Mugabe signed a constitutional bill which deals with property rights, Bi-cameral parliament and the freedom of movement. We live in fear of our passports being seized.

There is a crisis in leadership. Civil society is having leadership wars, MDC – fighting, Zanu PF is fighting, RSA with quiet diplomacy and Zimbabwe fighting over Blair and Bush. Is this just a process of living in crisis?

We must not forget women in this struggle!


 * Philani Zamchiya – Zimbabwe National Students Union**

Operation Murambatsvina – 700 000 homes/ livelihoods destroyed. Where can they go? In mid July – 92 460 housed destroyed, 133 534 households in 52 sites. 500 000 children forced out of school or education interrupted 2.4 Million (18%) of population affected directly or indirectly 6 people lost their lives.

People’s options are to go to the rural areas, go back to their family roots like Zambia or become homeless. Perhaps you could move in with friends but with massive shortages and space this is often not an option.

Many are now fleeing to South Africa. To curb this complex problem RSA has a simple solution – erect new fences on the boarder to keep Zimbabweans out.

Torture and harassment are still commonplace, and human rights are still being abused. Ten’s of thousands are fleeing to RSA to escape rape, torture and intimidation. I myself have been tortured. Firstly in Oct 2004 I was abducted and assaulted almost fatally. In July 2005 I was forced to drink poison – again almost killing me. I am here receiving medical treatment.

These activities happen to many, many people; therefore we are coming to South Africa to escape.


 * Richard Sikakane - Dept Home Affairs (Refugee Affairs)**

I cannot talk about Lindela until the investigation into the deaths has been finalized.

In 1951 and 1969 RSA signed a document with the OAU dealing with obligations to meet standards as they appear in the conventions seen in the Refugees Act: to regulate the reception of asylum seekers and provide protection for asylum seekers and refugees.

We have 5 designated reception offices: PE, KZN, CT and 2 in Gauteng.

We are aware of the Rossettenville problems. It is not easy to find property to relocate the new office. The Public Works Department needs to certify the structure and National Security Department needs to certify that it is safe, as it houses confidential government documents. We have appealed to Johannesburg Metro Council and this resulted in 2 offices in Gauteng to try to curb the influx.

It is not easy to secure a property as people do not want to lease their structures to Home Affairs. We are aware of the urgency.

We are not aware that Zimbabwean’s are not getting access. It is unconstitutional to refuse access to anyone. We cannot refuse people even if at a later stage they are not successful. We respond to all complaints. If people are being refused we need to identify who and why this is happening.

In Pretoria, people queue in countries. This is not for favoritism to a certain nation but to ensure that equal numbers of people from each country are seen – to curb the 60 people all coming from one nation.

Applicants must go to the offices individually to secure a Sec 22 document. One must also accept that the people working in these offices are civil servants – not all wishing to be in a humanitarian workspace.

Some organizations are sending lists of people to be registered – our Act does not allow us to help. Sec 21 claims need to be dealt with by the individual and the person must declare him/ herself to the office – they cannot be represented.

We aim for 180 days for an application to be processed. There is a back log of 130 000 applications. We did not anticipate these numbers, so we have employed over 100 helpers and contractors to deal with this. 94 000 applicants from Gauteng alone – we aim for this backlog to be cleared in the next 6 months.

All files are taken to head office where there is a team dealing with applications. The next step after that is the appeal process for unsuccessful applicants.

In 2006 we are intending to amend the Refugees Act as it is not in sync with the Immigration Act.

We are engaging bilaterally to allow free entry and exit from Zimbabwe = visa exemption, to also try and curb the illegal entry of Zimbabwean citizens. Many people are corrupting the system and getting RSA ID’s etc.


 * People are removed if they sleep at the RRO – we understand they want a place in the queue but it’s an issue of security.
 * Accept 60+ applicants a day
 * If it is not possible for an applicant to be granted an interpreter they are free to bring their own
 * People corrupt the system by buying illegal documents and then complain of corruption
 * There is no bias against Zimbabweans – please highlight this if there is


 * Wilf Mhanda – Zimbabwe War Veteran**

Quiet diplomacy should instead be called “policy paralysis’! There is an unspoken rule ‘My enemy’s friend is my enemy’ I.e.: DA vs. MDC. South Africa is benefiting from Zimbabwe’s decline – enables you to capture the market. As Mbeki said – we swim together, we sink together, an absolute denial of the situation and if there is no struggle – how and what is RSA supposed to support?

We do not need you to support us or our oppressors – rather remain neutral to the situation. If South Africa exercised its moral leadership it would help a lot – there is strong tie to the OAU, AU, SADC, UN and so on.


 * Chris Landsburg – Centre for Policy Studies**

South African and its African partners are unable to respond because the crisis is an intersection of many things over the past few years:


 * History in region and country
 * Race
 * Ideology
 * Human Rights
 * Governance
 * Economy

How do we come up with strategies when it’s so many things? If you tackle one i.e.: Human Rights you offend another i.e.: Race and so on.

In Zim the crisis started 7/8 years ago over land, war vets, white farmers, human rights and elections: 1. Human rights or land – the radicalization of a state 2. Nobody politically must tell Mugabe what to do – he will defy it 3. Normalize the radicalization – make it acceptable 4. It’s a cultural revolution – new economic moral

Mugabe is so angry with the west he is prepared to swap white economic imperialism for Chinese economic imperialism.

Options: Don’t personalize the Zimbabwe issue. I am an open supporter of the loan to Zimbabwe. It has nothing to do with Zanu PF or the MDC. Norway has 30 years worth of foreign exchange in its reserves. Zimbabwe has 3 days. RSA cannot let this economy collapse or there will be an added 2-3 million people fleeing into South Africa.

South Africa can become more neutral but it is obvious our government is becoming impatient with Zimbabwe. Stop pushing for dialogue with MDC and Zanu PF – rather push for consensus of South Africa, Africa and Europe. We also need to find the ‘doves’ in Zanu – those who are progressive in parliament and Gov.

We must be in this for the long haul!

Possible suggestion for next ZSF meeting – a look at the anti-apartheid movement – what lessons can be learnt?