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Government must consider issuing a ministerial statement to explain its position on the ongoing attacks on Zimbabwean nationals in foreign lands mainly South Africa, an opposition MP has said.
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkulumane Kucaca Phulu made the request during the National Assembly’s question and answer session last week.
His call comes following the horrific killing of Zimbabwean national Elvis Nyathi last month in Diepsloot Johannesburg South Africa.
Nyathi was burnt to death by an angry mob under an illegal anti-immigrant campaign code named operation Dudula.
“Having said that, I was also asked to raise a concern on the fact that our young men and women are dying abroad. I have seen recent incidents of a group of people who may be our nationals who were stoned to death. They are doing rounds on the social media. The request was for the State to intervene strongly and for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to give a Ministerial Statement on the State of Affairs in South Africa vis-a-vis our people who are under grave threat, ” said Phulu.
He adds that government intervention was of urgent necessity.
“We think that serious diplomatic interventions are necessary in order to secure their lives and to ensure that they are not abused while they are abroad. This is my short statement, which is also obviously accompanied by the need to ensure that we have adequate employment in the country for our people to remain here, ” the lawmaker said.
Phulu added that, Zimbabweans are struggling on foreign lands including failure to pay for and acquire requisite documents.
“Elvis Nyathi earned 200 Rands a month. When the people who murdered him talked to him, they wanted to be paid 300 Rands. In fact, that is the amount he earned. The amount they earn is not even enough to purchase a phone or to get a passport. This is how grave the situation is, ” said Phulu.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda ordered the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (NAME) to present the ministerial statement to the August House this week.
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