Pressure mounts on Mbeki

ighbour last week.
“We reiterate our call for speedy intervention by our government, the Southern African Development Community and the African Union. Our country is going to be the one that suffers most economically as continued poverty in that country leads to ordinary Zimbabweans fleeing here for better jobs and food,” YCL national secretary Buti Manamela said.
About 2000 Zimbabweans are deported from SA every week, but many are known to come back soon thereafter because of the poor conditions in their country.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Minister of Labour, Membathisi Mdladlana, has been challenged to intervene on the persecution of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) officials and worsening violations of human rights in Zimbabwe.
Mdladlana is also current chairperson of the International Labour Organisation, and there has been rising concerns of the recent arrest, assaults and detention labour leaders.
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) called for the South African government to end its policy of quiet diplomacy and take a firm stance.
“Politics and political control is one thing, but human rights violation is completely another,” said Dennis George, General Secretary of FEDUSA.
“For too long we have let Zimbabwe be overlooked by the international community, the time has come to say this is no longer a matter of internal strife, it is a human rights issue.” – CAJ News