News Briefs – March 23

h Africa arguing that the SA government has completely failed to respect their own laws in handling of refugee and asylum matters.

“The SA government defies its own laws and United Nations Charter. The United Nations stipulated 180 days for asylum seekers to have their cases determined, but some go for years and refugee rights are not respected,” said spokesperson Oliver Kubikwa.

He claimed that foreigners were badly treated and abused in South Africa by general citizens and various government departments. Several thousand asylum seekers from various African countries wait months to acquire an asylum permit paper. Many of them end up being victimised, traumatised, arrested and deported to the notorious Lindelea Refugee Holding Centre for deportation under what many describe as the “legacy of apartheid”.- CAJ News

Mohadi kicked off farm

BEIT-BRIDGE – Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi has been forced out of Highway farm here after the Land Audit committee exposed that he possessed more than one farm, in breach of government’s land policy of ‘one-man-one-farm’.

The minister also owns Nottingham Farm, which produces oranges for export. Contacted for comment he vehemently denied ever owning two properties simultaneously.

In a related incident, Leslie, son to Abedinico Ncube, deputy minister of labour and social welfare has been kicked out of a plot at Cleveland farm for under-utilising it. – AND

AirZim prices now in US$

HARARE – From this week Zimbabwe’s national airline is denominating its airfares in US dollars. For payment in ZWD the fares will be converted at the interbank mid-rate (currently +/- 75 000.00) applicable on the day of ticket issue. However, all the special economy fares will only be available on payment of foreign currency.

With inflation around 800% (official rate) Zimbabwean businesses are finding it virtually impossible to stay afloat.

A few months ago, Air Zimbabwe’s entire fleet was grounded for lack of currency to buy fuel. – Own correspondent

N’angas offer to help

MASVINGO – Traditional healers here have called on the government to allow them to visit public hospitals to administer herbs to patients, as the state institutions have run out of essential medical supplies, including the most basic drugs.

“Our forefathers used to treat several ailments using traditional medicine and we believe the same can be done today,” said Daniel Dambakuwa, the spokesman of

the Masvingo chapter of the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA).

Health Minister David Parirenyatwa could not be reached for comment. But in the past he has castigated some members of ZINATHA for administering toxic and untested substances. – Own correspondent

Mutambara demands compensation

BULAWAYO – The leader of the breakaway faction of the MDC, Arthur Mutambara says President Robert Mugabe’s government must apologise and pay compensation to families of people killed by the army in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces during the early 80s.

At least 20 000 people, most of them innocent civilians, were killed by the army’s North

Korean-trained 5^th Brigade sent into Matabeleland and Midlands to quell an armed rebellion in the two southern provinces against Mugabe’s rule. – ZimOnline

Unionists deported

HARARE – Zimbabwe immigration officials have deported two Netherlands Trade Union Federation officials who were visiting the country to meet with their counterparts at the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).

ZCTU information officer Mlamuleli Sibanda said junior immigration officials at Harare International Airport had initially permitted the Dutch trade unionists to enter Zimbabwe but this was reversed by a senior official who ordered that the foreign labour officials be detained while awaiting the next flight out of Zimbabwe.

The ZCTU official told ZimOnline that the Dutch trade unionists were later put on a British Airways flight to South Africa. – ZimOnline

UZ student leaders expelled

HARARE – Three student leaders from the University of Zimbabwe who were suspended last week pending a disciplinary hearing have been expelled, for allegedly inciting a series of crippling demonstrations.

Mfundo Mlilo, Collen Chibango and Wellington Mahohoma say they will challenge the expulsions in the High Court as they are illegal. “It’s got more to do with the silencing of the masses in Zimbabwe in general and the students in particular,” said Chibango.

Undeterred the student leaders, who say they have the full support of the students especially on the issue of school fees, have vowed to continue with the student movement. We were not able to get a comment from university authorities. – Violet Gonda, SWRadio Africa