News / National
We rather die in South Africa than go back to hell on earth called Zimbabwe
24 Jun 2011 at 11:14hrs | Views
New Age, a South African daily newspaper reports that Zimbabwean nationals who survived xenophobic attacks in Seshego outside Polokwane are saying they would "rather die in South Africa" than go back to "hell on earth".
The 28 refugees who lost everything during xenophobic attacks last week have been given shelter at Seshego police station and surviving on handouts.
Christopher Manyaire is reported to have said "Going back to Zimbabwe is worse than what we are facing here. The situation back home is more like hell".
Manyanaire has been surviving by doing piece jobs around Polokwane since he arrived in South Africa two years ago.
Manyanaire who was rescued by a South African woman said he never had problems with South African locals except tsotsis. But what happened last week was terrifying as the South Africas were baying for their blood.
He said he also witnessed the murder of Godfrey Sibanda, 35, who was stoned to death last week. "They killed him in a very cruel manner. They attacked him with stones and sticks."
Manyanaire said he attended a community meeting where South Africas said Zimbabweans should be chased away because they were committing crime.
Law Chitoro, a refugee who also attended the meeting, said a mob of more than 200 people argued about how the Zimbabweans should be dealt with.
"We left the meeting when the mob started saying Zimbabweans should be killed now. Then the mob started singing "dubula i Zimba, kill the Zimbabwean", said Chitoro.
Chitoro said that night the mob started attacking RDP houses occupied by Zimbabweans.
"The mob threw a petrol bomb through the window but we managed to escape. They chased us until we were rescued by police," said Tshitoro.
The 28 refugees who lost everything during xenophobic attacks last week have been given shelter at Seshego police station and surviving on handouts.
Christopher Manyaire is reported to have said "Going back to Zimbabwe is worse than what we are facing here. The situation back home is more like hell".
Manyanaire has been surviving by doing piece jobs around Polokwane since he arrived in South Africa two years ago.
Manyanaire who was rescued by a South African woman said he never had problems with South African locals except tsotsis. But what happened last week was terrifying as the South Africas were baying for their blood.
He said he also witnessed the murder of Godfrey Sibanda, 35, who was stoned to death last week. "They killed him in a very cruel manner. They attacked him with stones and sticks."
Manyanaire said he attended a community meeting where South Africas said Zimbabweans should be chased away because they were committing crime.
Law Chitoro, a refugee who also attended the meeting, said a mob of more than 200 people argued about how the Zimbabweans should be dealt with.
"We left the meeting when the mob started saying Zimbabweans should be killed now. Then the mob started singing "dubula i Zimba, kill the Zimbabwean", said Chitoro.
Chitoro said that night the mob started attacking RDP houses occupied by Zimbabweans.
"The mob threw a petrol bomb through the window but we managed to escape. They chased us until we were rescued by police," said Tshitoro.
Source - NewAge
