Alice Mhlanga, MDC Secretary for Information and Publicity, told The Zimbabwean that infringements were the biggest challenges the district faced.
South African police have in recent weeks arrested Zimbabwean nationals following the July 31 expiry of a deadline for Zimbabweans to regularize their stay in South Africa.
The call to undocumented Zimbabweans came last year but the processing of permits has moved at snail’s pace, leaving these nationals exposed to arrest and detention.
“As the biggest district in South Africa we are not without challenges and problems. The one that continues to worry us is the continued arrests of our people on the streets on Johannesburg after they have been unable to heed the call by Home Affairs,” Mhlanga said.
She said such violations amounted to xenophobia.
“We would like to urge the Department of Police to work in liaison with the Department of Home Affairs as the decision to document Zimbabweans was a cabinet decision so as to have some unison. Some of the Police are just out to solicit bribes and we will expose them for that if they continue to harass people with proper documents merely for the fact that they are Zimbabweans,” added Mhlanga.
Police have repeatedly denied they are targeting Zimbabweans.
Post published in: News