Forum database to count Zims( 07-12-06)

ion establish the number of Zimbabweans in this country who want to participate in the resuscitation of the ailing Zimbabwean economy.
University of South Africa and University of Pretoria are among other institutions of higher leaning that are assisting the organisation implement this exercise.
“There are no accurate figures as to as how many Zimbabweans are resident in this country, which is hindering efforts to mobilise people to partake in the resuscitation of their economy back home,” said the organisation’s treasurer and economic analyst, Luke Zunga, during the Forum’s annual general meeting over the weekend.
It is estimated that South Africa is home to more than three and half million Zimbabweans, who have crossed the border to flee the worsening socio-economic and political crisis that Zimbabwe is currently experiencing. The economic crisis in Zimbabwe has been squarely blamed on bad governance by President Mugabe and his Zanu (PF) party.
“The exercise has already taken off. In this partnership with local universities, questionnaires have been drawn, waiting approval by the executive committee. The information will also be used to prepare the business plan for the development chamber which will be ready before the next AGM in 2007, so that in 2008 we begin planting people into business,” he said.
Zimbabwe Diaspora CSOs Forum was formed in June last year by the coming together of CSOs formed by exiled Zimbabweans in South Africa. It aims at mobilising all Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to pursue the country’s economic development as well as organising CSOs to find a peaceful democratic dispensation in Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, the organisation held its annual general meeting in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, with members raising concern on the reported infiltration of CSOs by the notorious Central Intelligence Organisation.
It is believed the Zimbabwean state security agents have permeated such organisation with the aim of destabilising their operations. – CAJ News