Zimbabwe MPs deliver anti-xenophobia petition to SA embassy

A group of Zimbabwean lawmakers on Wednesday delivered a petition to the South African embassy in Harare, asking for action to be taken against the wave of recent xenophobic attacks.

Jessie Majome from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, who led the delegation of six MPs from across Zimbabwe's political divide, said South Africans "can't have their cake and eat it".

"Here in Zimbabwe we support South African businesses, which sell goods and conduct trade. The South African people can't have their cake and eat it," she said.

The petition, a copy of which was seen by News24, calls on Pretoria to take "decisive and effective measures to stop the slaughter of Zimbabweans and fellow African brothers and sisters".

In a statement, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi said the situation in South Africa is tense, adding that Zimbabweans in Kwazulu-Natal have expressed their wish to return home.

He said Zimbabwe's Consul General in Johannesburg has indicated that there are close to 800 Zimbabweans affected by attacks on foreigners in Kwazulu-Natal.

The affected Zimbabweans have since fled for security and are at a camp established in Chatsworth, Durban.

He said the country's embassy is working closely with the relevant South African ministers, adding that the government has decided that those wishing to return home be facilitated immediately.

Minister Mumbengegwi said an inter-ministerial team has been put together  to expeditiously put in place the logistics as well as the resources necessary for the exercise in close liaison with Zimbabwe's Ambassador to South Africa, Mr Moyo and his staff.

Zimbabwean embassy officials have already travelled to Durban where they will try to assist their citizens caught up or threatened by the violence, according to a report in the official Herald newspaper.

The officials may try to persuade some Zimbabweans to return home, Consul General Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro was quoted as saying.

"Embassy officials arrived in Durban [on Tuesday] to work with the host government in identifying the affected people," he told the Herald.

"Logistics will also be worked to assist those, including those without proper documentation, who are willing to return home and also how some can be integrated into communities willing to accommodate them," Mukonowesuro said.