Zimbabwe send police to protect its citizens in SA

The Zimbabwe government has dispatched a team of its police force to South Africa to protect who have been displaced by xenophobic violence in Durban, reports said on Thursday.

Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi told a local newspaper that government had dispatched a team of police officers to South Africa to protect stranded Zimbabweans.

"We are working out modalities to help our nationals who are in South Africa, we are monitoring developments there with keen interest and we have dispatched a team there to assist so that we protect our nationals," Mohadi said.

"We are worried about the welfare of our citizens and we will not watch helplessly our nationals being subjected to such treatment. We have engaged our counterparts and are also trying by all means possible to help them (those in South Africa)."

The attacks increased over the past two weeks as South Africans accused foreigners of engaging in criminal activities and taking away their jobs.

Reports yesterday indicated that the wave that was initially concentrated in Durban had moved into central Johannesburg with some Zimbabweans being reported to be hiding in basements of various buildings.