Published: 5 hours ago

A coalition of Zimbabwean migrants has accused the South African government of contributing to the crisis that forced millions of Zimbabweans into exile, saying Pretoria should shoulder responsibility for hosting them.

The Concerned Zimbabwean Citizens in the Diaspora, a group representing migrants, made the remarks in a petition addressed to Operation Dudula - a South African vigilante group known for anti-migrant campaigns. The petition was also copied to Zanu-PF, the ANC, and other organisations accused of targeting Zimbabweans in xenophobic violence.

"We, the citizens of Zimbabwe, write to you not in anger, but in truth, in pain and in the spirit of justice," the coalition said. "Since the year 2000, Zimbabweans have been leaving their homeland in large numbers. This was not by choice but by force of circumstance."

The petition blamed the ruling Zanu-PF for unleashing violence during the late Robert Mugabe's rule, accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa, then Mugabe's deputy, of playing a key role in repression. The group further claimed that regional bodies, including the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), failed to act.

"We cannot ignore the role played by South Africa and its leaders. Former President Thabo Mbeki, tasked with observing Zimbabwe's crisis, infamously reported that there was ‘no crisis in Zimbabwe'," the letter stated.

The migrants highlighted the bloody aftermath of the 2008 elections, alleging that Mugabe was ready to step down after defeat but was persuaded by allies to remain in power at any cost. "Indeed, blood was spilled — over 360 lives lost, homes razed, people maimed and families destroyed. Yet African leaders, including you Mbeki and President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, saw no crisis," it said.

They argued that Zimbabweans did not flee because they were cowards, but because "our leaders declared war against us."

The coalition said South Africa and the broader region helped entrench Mugabe's rule, forcing many skilled and educated Zimbabweans to seek survival abroad.

"To South Africans and Operation Dudula, we hear the chants against us, the threats, the denial of healthcare, the hunting down of migrants and the walls of hostility," the group said, urging an end to xenophobic attacks.
- Southern Eye

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