Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa, David Hamadziripi, was heckled by Zimbabweans when he attempted to make remarks at a memorial service of Elvis Nyathi, at the Underground Hillbrow Theatre on Thursday.
Nyathi was brutally killed by a vigilante group in Johannesburg’s Diepsloot township on Wednesday last week.
Hamadziripi had to leave the hall as some Zimbabweans attending the event booed him, claiming that the ZANU PF-led Government is to blame for Nyathi’s death.
Millions of Zimbabweans are living in South Africa doing menial jobs and earning meagre wages after being forced to migrate to the neighbouring due to prolonged economic challenges at home.
Speaking soon after the event, Hamadziripi said the Zimbabwean Government is engaging South Africa to secure the safety of Zimbabweans. He said:
In situations like this, there would always be comments that are made … The government of Zimbabwe is doing all it can.
It’s engaging the South African government in order to secure the safety of our nationals in this country.
Meanwhile, Peter Moshosho, a South African citizen and chairperson of Africa Simunye, apologised on behalf of his compatriots for Nyathi’s murder. He said:
Generally, I would like to apologize to Zimbabweans because we are not expecting as South Africans that thugs in South Africa can kill our fellow black brothers in South Africa.
So, that’s why I’m saying we really apologize for that. I’m a Zimbabwean, I’m a South African, I’m a Mozambican, I’m Sotho, I’m a Nigerian. Africa must be one and we want one currency.
Nyathi (43) worked in Fourways in the Johannesburg metropolitan region as a domestic worker.
He was dragged from his home last week on Wednesday night by a mob in Diesploot and viciously assaulted.
The group later necklaced him with an old tyre before setting it alight in the street, a few metres from his home.