South Africa’s reluctance to give political refugee status to Zimbabweans when they are denied food as part of a political agenda needs to be put before a South African court in a test case, a bishop said on Friday.
This call came from Bishop Kevin Dowling of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace. He was addressing a press conference representing the Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube, who is also chairperson of the Solidarity Peace Trust and an outspoken critic of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
Dowling said economic reasons force Zimbabweans to flee but there is political motivation behind the conditions in that country.
”A test case needs to be brought before the courts on that issue,” he said.
Mugabe has widely been accused of using the distribution of food aid as a political weapon.
Dowling also warned that there could be a possible further influx of Zimbabwean refugees to South Africa around March when elections in Zimbabwe are scheduled to take place.
The controversial Non-Government Organisation Bill, before the Zimbabwe Parliament, will restrict NGOs and churches monitoring the run-up to the elections, and the climate of oppression could increase, he said.
The Bill restricts organisations from acting on human rights issues.
The Johannesburg press conference saw the launch of a report by the Solidarity Peace Trust on the exodus of Zimbabweans.
It said up to 30% of Zimbabweans have left the country, including 60% to 70% of all productive adults.
Ncube was not present as he was doing his rounds visiting the two million Zimbabweans estimated to be in South Africa. — Sapa