News / Regional
Zanu-PF targets San leaders
16 Apr 2013 at 03:36hrs | Views
ZANU-PF has been accused of intimidating members of the San community in Tsholotsho after they complained about marginalisation to National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration co-minister Moses Mzila Ndlovu last year.
The Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (Jomic) in Matabeleland North reportedly dispatched a team to investigate the allegations and found them to be true.
"Investigations established that those people were intimidated though the accused people are denying the allegations," Jomic provincial co-chairperson Jealous Sansole told NewsDay yesterday.
"As Jomic co-chairpersons we will meet the San community and the accused Zanu-PF members to deliberate on the issue.
"After the deliberations, we will come up with a decision and write a report to our headquarters in Harare.
"San people currently exhibit signs of fear. We hope to settle their problem and deal with those responsible for the threats."
In November last year, the San community came up with a position paper with the help of Creative Arts and Education Development Association director Davy Ndlovu that outlined their grievances.
This following a meeting with Mzila-Ndlovu of the Welshman Ncube-led MDC.
Water Resources Management and Development Minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo of the MDC-T also donated $500 to help the small community to buy food.
Zanu-PF supporters were reportedly angered by the interaction between the MDC ministers and the community.
The party's supporters allegedly started intimidating the San community leaders, which forced them to approach Jomic.
But Zanu-PF Matabeleland North spokesperson Jonathan Mathuthu yesterday said he was not aware of the allegations.
"If this happened after some political parties visited the area, we suspect that the San were influenced to make these claims," he said.
"My party has a lot of programmes with those people and the late Vice-President John Nkomo also had many projects that he initiated for them."
Mathuthu accused the MDC ministers of trying to use the plight of the community to garner votes for their parties.
"Leaders must groom people to be leaders, not to be followers as is the norm with some politicians," he said.
"The visit by those politicians must have been aimed at luring support from those people. I do not think that our members made any threats."
According to the Tsoro o tso San Development Trust, which represents the interests of the San community, there are 1 630 San people in Zimbabwe with 457 found in Plumtree, eight in Matobo and 1 165 in Tsholotsho.
The Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (Jomic) in Matabeleland North reportedly dispatched a team to investigate the allegations and found them to be true.
"Investigations established that those people were intimidated though the accused people are denying the allegations," Jomic provincial co-chairperson Jealous Sansole told NewsDay yesterday.
"As Jomic co-chairpersons we will meet the San community and the accused Zanu-PF members to deliberate on the issue.
"After the deliberations, we will come up with a decision and write a report to our headquarters in Harare.
"San people currently exhibit signs of fear. We hope to settle their problem and deal with those responsible for the threats."
In November last year, the San community came up with a position paper with the help of Creative Arts and Education Development Association director Davy Ndlovu that outlined their grievances.
This following a meeting with Mzila-Ndlovu of the Welshman Ncube-led MDC.
Water Resources Management and Development Minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo of the MDC-T also donated $500 to help the small community to buy food.
The party's supporters allegedly started intimidating the San community leaders, which forced them to approach Jomic.
But Zanu-PF Matabeleland North spokesperson Jonathan Mathuthu yesterday said he was not aware of the allegations.
"If this happened after some political parties visited the area, we suspect that the San were influenced to make these claims," he said.
"My party has a lot of programmes with those people and the late Vice-President John Nkomo also had many projects that he initiated for them."
Mathuthu accused the MDC ministers of trying to use the plight of the community to garner votes for their parties.
"Leaders must groom people to be leaders, not to be followers as is the norm with some politicians," he said.
"The visit by those politicians must have been aimed at luring support from those people. I do not think that our members made any threats."
According to the Tsoro o tso San Development Trust, which represents the interests of the San community, there are 1 630 San people in Zimbabwe with 457 found in Plumtree, eight in Matobo and 1 165 in Tsholotsho.
Source - newsday
