News / Africa
South Africa's operation Fiela targeting SADC immigrants
30 Apr 2015 at 10:52hrs | Views
Cape Town - African immigrants from SADC countries whose governments were in the frontline in the fight against apartheid appear to be the main targets of South Africa's controversial Operation Fiela which went into full gear this week.
Migrants who are being found without papers are arrested on the spot and bundled onto waiting trucks. They are then handed over to Home Affairs officials for processing. But many Zimbabweans, Mozambicans and Malawians complained that the police accompanied by soldiers from the SANDF are singling them out for harassment and deportation.
"This Is an operation to arrest and deport Zimbabweans and Mozambicans.Drug dealers and criminals from West Africa are not being harassed by the police," said a Mozambican national in Cape Town's Delft township.
Police arrived in Delft this morning with a convoy of more than 10 cars accompanied by soldiers who stood guard while they conducted searches on businesses owned by foreigners.
Others stopped and searched anyone they suspected to be a foreigner. When many foreigners realized the police were conducting searches by the main road, they went into hiding.The police operation attracted a large crowd along the Delft main road close to the airport.
On Monday the police and soldiers raided Mayfair and Hillbrow in Johannesburg and arrested scores of foreigners who did not have papers with them.
"You can imagine a mother and father getting arrested by police in the streets without their children knowing their parents have been taken to Lindela for deportation. What will happen to the children," asked Zimbabwean Sifiso Mnyamana.
Police spokesman, Captain Lungelo Dlamini said those arrested in the Johannesburg operation were handed over to Home Affairs officials. Meanwhile Zimbabweans including political leaders from Matabeleland have castigated President Robert Mugabe for singling out Kalanga people as criminals in South Africa.
Mugabe made the remarks in Harare during the SADC conference. He urged Zimbabweans to stop risking their lives going to look for jobs in South Africa.
"Whats wrong with Mugabe. Is he forgetting that its his government that has driven the people of Matabeleland into exile because of his tribal policies and human rights abuses," said Mandla Sithole, a Zimbabwean from Tsholotsho who escaped the police gragnet by hiding in a friend's car.
Mandla admitted he did not have the right papers to stay in South Africa.
Migrants who are being found without papers are arrested on the spot and bundled onto waiting trucks. They are then handed over to Home Affairs officials for processing. But many Zimbabweans, Mozambicans and Malawians complained that the police accompanied by soldiers from the SANDF are singling them out for harassment and deportation.
"This Is an operation to arrest and deport Zimbabweans and Mozambicans.Drug dealers and criminals from West Africa are not being harassed by the police," said a Mozambican national in Cape Town's Delft township.
Police arrived in Delft this morning with a convoy of more than 10 cars accompanied by soldiers who stood guard while they conducted searches on businesses owned by foreigners.
Others stopped and searched anyone they suspected to be a foreigner. When many foreigners realized the police were conducting searches by the main road, they went into hiding.The police operation attracted a large crowd along the Delft main road close to the airport.
On Monday the police and soldiers raided Mayfair and Hillbrow in Johannesburg and arrested scores of foreigners who did not have papers with them.
"You can imagine a mother and father getting arrested by police in the streets without their children knowing their parents have been taken to Lindela for deportation. What will happen to the children," asked Zimbabwean Sifiso Mnyamana.
Police spokesman, Captain Lungelo Dlamini said those arrested in the Johannesburg operation were handed over to Home Affairs officials. Meanwhile Zimbabweans including political leaders from Matabeleland have castigated President Robert Mugabe for singling out Kalanga people as criminals in South Africa.
Mugabe made the remarks in Harare during the SADC conference. He urged Zimbabweans to stop risking their lives going to look for jobs in South Africa.
"Whats wrong with Mugabe. Is he forgetting that its his government that has driven the people of Matabeleland into exile because of his tribal policies and human rights abuses," said Mandla Sithole, a Zimbabwean from Tsholotsho who escaped the police gragnet by hiding in a friend's car.
Mandla admitted he did not have the right papers to stay in South Africa.
Source - Thabo Kunene
