South African opposition leader, Mmusi Maimane, has blamed the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for the immigration crisis in that country by “enabling” corruption and oppression in Zimbabwe by the ZANU PF.
Maimane, who is the leader of Build One South Africa, made the remarks after the Pretoria High Court ruled that the termination of Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEPs) was unconstitutional.
The ZEP permits were due to expire today, 30 June, by the South African Government had already given ZEP holders a further six months to regularise their stay or face deportation.
Maimane, who is a former leader of South Africa’s biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa has a role to defend democracy in Zimbabwe. He said:
The ANC government has for years enabled corruption and oppression in Zimbabwe by the ZANU PF.
How? They ignored rigged elections and farm invasions. Instead of putting out the fire next door, they gave Mugabe and Mnangagwa matches and paraffin.
The fire that burned created the immigration crisis we are living with. That South Africa is paying for.
The courts have no choice but to uphold refugee laws and the constitution. If we want to solve the immigration crisis we have to go directly to the root of the problem namely the dictatorship in Zimbabwe.
We must stop supporting elections that are not conducted in a free and fair environment, we must stop supporting elections that are rigged and we must stop allowing South African banks to be used by money laundering members of the Gold Mafia.
We cannot keep supporting ZANU PF because of what they did during the liberation struggle. They are now the oppressor.
We must be honest and direct with them and tell them that we cannot afford to keep paying the bill for their oppression and corruption. Time is up.
To solve this issue we need to make sure that there are free and fair elections in Zimbabwe in August. That doesn’t happen in August, it starts now.
South Africa has influence on Zimbabwe and we must use it, more than we use our influence on Russia and Ukraine because this is happening in our neighborhood…
The immigration crisis was caused by a democracy crisis in Zimbabwe. As a robust constitutional democracy, we have a role to advance democracy in Africa and to defend democracy in Zimbabwe.
To solve the immigration crisis in South Africa we must go directly to the source of the problem. We must treat the disease and not just the symptoms.
If the ANC government does not want to cut ties with ZANU PF and be non-aligned in Zimbabwe then we must vote for leaders who are not afraid and who are willing and able to hold leaders in neighboring countries accountable for the problems they create for South Africa.
Last week ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said illegal migrants are putting a heavy strain on South Africa’’s fiscus with adverse effects on service delivery and high unemployment, among other things.
Mbalula made the remarks while addressing the ANC 9th Western Cape Provincial Conference over the weekend.
More: Pindula News