Xenophobia: Zim must fix economy, churches

via Xenophobia: Zim must fix economy, churches – NewZimbabwe 22 April 2015

THE government should take urgent political and economic measures to avoid an influx of its citizens to South Africa, where they face humiliation, the umbrella body for local churches said Wednesday.

The call by the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) comes in the wake of deadly xenophobic attacks in South Africa that have resulted in the death of about seven people including a Zimbabwean national.

EFZ comprises over 500 Zimbabwe churches and parachurch organisations.

Speaking during an anti-xenophobic violence prayer meeting held in Harare Wednesday morning, EFZ president Shingi Munyeza said attacks against Zimbabweans can be avoided if the country’s citizens stopped flocking to South Africa in search of better life.

“We implore the government of Zimbabwe to take urgent political and economic steps to reduce the need for our people to become economic refugees in neighbouring countries where they are exposed to all kinds of humiliation and xenophobic attacks,” said Munyeza.

Over one million Zimbabweans are believed to be living in South Africa as economic or political refugees.

Zim economy

Zimbabwe’s economy is currently on its knees and according to the country’s central bank, over 4,000 workers lost their jobs in 2014, and the finance ministry said 4 600 companies closed down between 2011 and October 2014, resulting in 64 000 job losses.

Local economists have also warned that, unless something drastic happens, 2015 will be another year of economic decline, associated with the collapse of social institutions and a further reduction in the delivery of essential services to the population.

Munyeza commended the South African government for its public denunciation of xenophobic attacks, but urged them to use more effective and sustainable ways of enforcing and sustaining the stoppage of xenophobia with immediate effect.

“We wish to remind the perpetrators of xenophobic violence in South Africa of a time in history when many South Africans took habitation in Zimbabwe without having to face this same fate,” said Munyeza.

South Africa, with a population of over 50 million people, is home to an estimated five million immigrants.

Wednesday’s prayer meeting, which was being facilitated by the Zimbabwe heads of Christian denominations and civil society organisations, was attended by over 200 church leaders.

Munyeza urged the African Union and the regional SADC grouping – both currently chaired by President Robert Mugabe – to “adopt more effective process resulting in the immediate halting of these attacks which threaten peace in the region and on the continent”.

“(EFZ) implores the international community to be unequivocal in the condemnation of this evil and to exert due pressure to ensure that xenophobia in South Africa and in other parts of the world is halted now and in the future through appropriate dialogue and other processes,” the EFZ president said.

Mugabe in his independence message to Zimbabweans last week, described the attacks as “disgusting and must not be allowed to continue”.

The South African government has since deployed soldiers in xenophobia hot-spots in the country’s economic hub of Johannesburg following the killing of a Mozambican national at the weekend and the shooting of a Zimbabwean couple early this week.

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