Appeal for the South African Government to stop deportations of Zimbabwean immigrants

By Mishkah Anthony
21 July 2008

Human rights organisation, Passop welcomes the statement made by the Minister of home affairs, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, saying that the government should stop deporting Zimbabwean immigrants, as the situation in Zimbabwe is getting worse.

Spokesperson for PASSOP, Braam Hannekom says the situation in Zimbabwe is volatile, people are dying and there is no way of surviving never mind the on going violence. PASSOP believes for many reason it’s definitely important that the Minister of home affairs should come clean and acknowledge that it is not acceptable to be deporting people at this moment.

Braam says they are calling upon the President and all levels of government to support such a statement and to implement strategies and plans to assist the influx of immigrants in to South Africa.

The Department of Home Affairs lacks the resources and means to process the actual number of Zimbabwean asylum applications that exist. These vulnerable refugees should not be punished for the shortcomings of the Department of Home Affairs. The South African government must acknowledge this crisis and accept a moratorium on the deportation of all Zimbabwean refugees.