ZAPU (South Africa) Commemorates Human Rights Day

The Dumiso Dabengwa led Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) South Africa chapter joined scores of South Africans to commemorate Human Rights Day.

South Africa Human Rights Day (21 March) was officially declared a public holiday in 1994 following the inauguration of former president Nelson Mandela. This national day-off is both a stark reminder of the tragic Sharpeville massacre and a celebration of South Africa's unique constitution, which gives equal rights to all.

The Sharpeville Massacre on Monday, 21 March in 1960 police opened fire, without order, on a crowd that had gathered at the Sharpeville station to protest pass laws, stipulations that required Africans to carry books and produce them for law enforcement officials on request; 69 unarmed people were killed and another 180 were injured. While the rest of the World commemorates Human Rights Day on 10 December, South Africa marks theirs on the 21st of March in that honour. The South African 2014 Human Rights Day is being commemorated under the theme ''Celebrating 20 years of changing lives through Human Rights".

To mark the day, ZAPU (SA) decided to join the rest of South Africa by holding a solidarity march through the Johannesburg Suburb of Yeoville followed by a recreational five a side soccer tournament. According to Ditshoni Nkomo, the Chairman of the Yeoville Branch, which hosted the event, his party decided to commemorate the day by showing their solidarity with South Africa. South Africa and in particular the ANC was a major ally to Zimbabwe and ZAPU during the liberation struggle. While marking the day, the party also went on a massive recruitment of membership amongst Zimbabweans resident in the area.



Nkomo indicated that a total of 14 five a side soccer teams in the tournament. The teams were mostly made up of Zimbabweans and one by DRC nationals which eventually emerged winners. The Yeoville Branch of the party managed to raise funds to bank roll the tournament which had a floating trophy and R500 winner take all at stake.

Speaking on the sidelines of the events, Nkomo marvelled at the good turnout for the event and expressed confidence of the people's belief in ZAPU.

"About 300 People most of them ZAPU members came to watch the teams playing. As a branch we managed to recruit a further 60 people into our branch, they bought party cards and buy t shirts to confirm their commitment to the party," said Nkomo.



ZAPU is arguably the busiest and most influential Zimbabwean political set ups in South Africa. The South African chapter of the party is involved in very intense recruitment and fund raising drive and hoping to touch every Zimbabwean living in South Africa. In one of its most recent activities, ZAPU involved itself fully in the plight of 25 Zimbabweans who died in a South African disused mine. The party carried out the rescue operation and went further to be involved in the burial of the victims raising almost R20 000 towards the burials. The party also assisted in the negotiations for donations from Zimbabwean businessmen in South Africa.

In his conclusion, Nkomo promised that his party will continue engaging Zimbabweans across the whole of South Africa to join ZAPU. He assured that his party is organising more of the soccer tournaments and marches.



"We will continue doing events like this one and use them to recruit more people to the party. Very soon we will have an eleven on eleven soccer tournament to cater for more of our members as possible and bring more people to join ZAPU," said Nkomo.