Below are relevant news stories that happened over the past week.
South Africa News
31 immigrants arrested in King William’s Town – Thirty-one undocumented immigrants were arrested in King William’s Town on Monday. Police and immigration officials from the department of home affairs were specifically checking for proper documentation among foreign nationals.
250 arrested after immigration raid in Woodstock – Police, working with Home Affairs, arrested 250 suspected illegal immigrants, mostly Zimbabwean, in Woodstock on March 3. Those arrested described it as “a very traumatic experience,” saying the detention process was “very disorganised” and “unprofessional,” and amounted to “harassment”. PASSOP has spoken out against the unlawful detentions of those holding certified copies of their documents and against the racism and classism behind the choice to target a place known to be popular among relatively poor black people.
South African and Nigerian deportation battle – On Friday, March 2nd, 125 Nigerian citizens were deported from OR Tambo International Airport for supposedly having fraudulent immunisation documents. Three days later, 28 South African citizens were deported from Lagos, Nigeria after arriving at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on a South African Airways flights on the grounds of invalid documentation. South Africa’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ebrahim apologised to the Nigerian government for the way the situation was handled.
SA refuses to take responsibility for deaths, rape and torture of deportees – In response to the protests among Congolese in South Africa that followed Kabila’s allegedly fraudulent victory in last November’s DRC presidential elections, the Kabila government has been severely maltreating Congolese people deported by the department of home affairs for “having a problem with the Congolese state,” according to immigration officials. This maltreatment has included torture, rape, beatings, and monetary extortion. The department of home affairs has refused to take any responsibility for what happens to deportees in the DRC. Many Congolese nationals report being arrested in South Africa without having the chance to apply for refugee status.
Cosatu protest is a success – Cosatu’s nationwide protest against e-tolls and labour brokers was overwhelmingly successful. Guateng premier Mokonyane is currently considering the memorandum that protesters handed to her. Protests took place in 32 locations across the country, all of which were peaceful. Tolling is expected to begin on April 30 for some Guateng roads.
Police on trial for murder of refugee – The Pretoria High Court is trying two Pretoria Central constables who killed Paul Ndayambe, a Rwandan refugee, three years ago when the two stole some meat Ndayambe was selling. In the quarrel that consequently broke out, the constables shot him in the head and left him to die on the pavement.
Zimbabwe News
Chaos looms in Zimbabwe – Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF have failed to produce any form of succession plan, a fact which analysts say poses a threat to the entire country’s stability. There is wide consensus among Zimbabweans that general elections should not be held until significant electoral reforms are enacted, especially considering prior election experiences in Zim. Meanwhile, intra-party disputes continue to prolong the constitution drafting process.
Uganda News
Land reassigned to DRC refugees in Uganda after killing – Because of the many refugees from the DRC continuing to enter Uganda, the Ugandan government is setting aside land for refugee settlement. However, part of the land set aside is already being occupied by squatters who received the land from the government in 2009. There is now a tense land row that has caused the death of one Ugandan government official. Because of the danger, the government is setting aside new land, increasing police protection, and working to remove the illegal squatters from the land.
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