Govt tells South Africa to arrest Zimbabweans breaking the law

While other African countries are sending assistance to their nationals in South Africa and engaging the authorities there amid a wave of xenophobia, the Zimbabwean government says it will not tell its neighbour what to do.

South Africa is currently experiencing a wave of xenophobic attacks aimed at foreign nationals residing there, whom they accuse of straining social services and engaging in criminal activities.

Several anti-migrant groups have called for the ejection of foreign nationals, the majority of whom are of African origin.

Some African countries including Ghana have moved to evacuate their nationals from South Africa.

Speaking in the National Assembly recently, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, said the government cannot intervene on issues in South Africa.

"If you are a neighbour, you remain a neighbour. You cannot go to their home and teach them what to do. You remain a good neighbour," said Ziyambi.

He also added that the onus is on South African authorities to arrest Zimbabweans found on the wrong side of the law in the neighbouring country.

"He said he is hearing and he is also seeing on social media, but as the Government, we work together with the Government of South Africa and we are doing everything according to law.

"So, if there are people who have done something that is outside the law in South Africa, it is the duty of the police officers in South Africa to apprehend them and make sure that each and every individual is following the law.

"However, we are working with the embassies through the diplomatic channels that we have for our Zimbabweans facing difficulties or humiliation or any other illegal activities that are not good.

"As for now, we have not heard anything through the embassies that there is a lot of beating and killing that is happening in South Africa, but what we heard is that there are people who went on the streets to demonstrate, and the Government of South Africa did not support it," he said.

Last month, the Zimbabwean Embassy in South Africa issued an alert on the xenophobic waves, a contradiction to Ziyambi's claims that they have not received communication on the attacks.

"From our diplomatic relations with South Africa, we also encourage each other, even here in Zimbabwe; if someone comes and is found on the wrong side of the law, that person is apprehended because he or she is forced to follow our laws," said Ziyambi further.