Zimbabweans living in South Africa have called for regional organisations to intervene in Zimbabwe to save the country from tyranny.
Tafiyenrika Muzarugwi of the Zimbabwean Citizens Coalition in South Africa called for both President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government and the African Union to condemn the abduction, torture and imprisonment of activists, journalists and government critics in Zimbabwe. He said:
As the chair of the African Union, South Africa must take a firm stance and condemn what is happening in Zimbabwe. The AU represents the continent, and we need continental support.
The Durban-based Zimbabwe Solidarity Movement’s Tsungai Jani lamented the crackdown on dissenting voices by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
He said Zimbabweans were foolish to celebrate the ouster of the late Robert Mugabe, then president in 2017, because the repressive State apparatus is still in place. Said Jani:
You never expect this to happen in a so-called democratic country. When Robert Mugabe was ousted out of office, we foolishly rejoiced only to realise that he was never the only bad guy, but it was a systemic issue. At the end of the day, Zanu-PF is still the ruling party, and those who supported Mugabe, are still in power.