News / National
DA urges SA break silence on Zimbabwe protests
28 Aug 2019 at 08:12hrs | Views
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor to speak out against the crackdown on protestors being experienced in neighbouring Zimbabwe at the moment.
The official opposition wants South Africa's government to take a stand against what is happening in Zimbabwe but, short of that, it at least wants an acknowledgement.
Situation in Zimbabwe is not improving
The situation in the neighbouring country is steadily declining with reports of long periods of load shedding of up to 16 hours per day, food shortages, and outlawing of anti-government protesting.
Just a week previously, a group of teachers, their lawyer, and an accompanying journalist were arrested for protesting the fact that their salaries had been reduced from $500 to just $38 per month.
De-facto state of emergency
The state recently banned any kind of anti-government protest and have repeatedly used teargas to disperse crowds.
The move was described by opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) as placing the country into a de-facto state of emergency.
DA calls for South African government to break its silence through Naledi Pandor
Through all of this, South Africa's government has not even released a press statement indicating that it is aware of or monitoring the situation.
Something which the DA believes is time to change.
"After a protracted period of clashes between the police and protestors, violent crackdown of opposition voices and news of food shortages – the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, and the South African Government have remained deafeningly silent over the turmoil, violence, and unrest in Zimbabwe," DA Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Darren Bergman said in a statement.
"The Democratic Alliance has written to Minister Pandor to break her silence and inform the nation of government's official stance on the degenerating situation in the country," said Darren Bergman
The official opposition wants South Africa's government to take a stand against what is happening in Zimbabwe but, short of that, it at least wants an acknowledgement.
Situation in Zimbabwe is not improving
The situation in the neighbouring country is steadily declining with reports of long periods of load shedding of up to 16 hours per day, food shortages, and outlawing of anti-government protesting.
Just a week previously, a group of teachers, their lawyer, and an accompanying journalist were arrested for protesting the fact that their salaries had been reduced from $500 to just $38 per month.
Grateful for response from the legal profession. All these lawyers (& others who weren't in the pic) are here at Harare Central attending to our arrest. Also those arrested is a journalist Leopold Munhende who was covering the picket. Why arrest professionals doing our jobs? pic.twitter.com/KNI2ucsmfr
— Doug Coltart ✊🏽🇿🇼 (@DougColtart) August 23, 2019
De-facto state of emergency
The state recently banned any kind of anti-government protest and have repeatedly used teargas to disperse crowds.
DA calls for South African government to break its silence through Naledi Pandor
Through all of this, South Africa's government has not even released a press statement indicating that it is aware of or monitoring the situation.
Something which the DA believes is time to change.
"After a protracted period of clashes between the police and protestors, violent crackdown of opposition voices and news of food shortages – the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, and the South African Government have remained deafeningly silent over the turmoil, violence, and unrest in Zimbabwe," DA Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Darren Bergman said in a statement.
"The Democratic Alliance has written to Minister Pandor to break her silence and inform the nation of government's official stance on the degenerating situation in the country," said Darren Bergman
Source - online
