South African church leaders expect to meet President Thabo Mbeki soon to discuss the United Nations report on Zimbabwe’s clean-up operations, believed to have affected about 700 000 people.
Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane said this on Monday after he and other church leaders blessed consignments of humanitarian aid the South African Council of Churches (SACC) has donated to Zimbabwean people affected by the operation.
This follows a recent visit by SACC leaders to Zimbabwe.
”The president indicated to us that he would like to meet us to engage on the UN report,” Ndungane told reporters.
Last month, the UN released a scathing report on the campaign of demolitions, stating that it had left 700 000 Zimbabweans homeless and destitute and affected a further 2,4-million.
”We all know that Zimbabwe goes from one crisis to another and we are all interested in long-term solutions to the economic and political problems in Zimbabwe,” Ndungane said.
The cleric echoed South African Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel’s concerns that South Africa has to make sure it does not have a failed state on its borders.
Monday’s consignment, containing 37 tonnes of food and more than 6 000 blankets, is the first of many loads the churches will send across the Limpopo river border.
The Zimbabwe Council of Churches’ humanitarian distribution agency, Christian Care, will distribute it where it deems necessary.
The next consignment, on August 18, will be accompanied by a South African military escort. Monday’s will not.
Ndungane said the SACC has consulted with the South African government to help with the smooth transportation of the consignments into Zimbabwe.
”We trust the angels to use God’s power to change the hearts of stubborn people who want to stop good things from happening,” he said.
On the pavement outside the SACC office in Marshall Street, Johannesburg, Ndungane prayed for ”sanity” to be brought to the leadership of Zimbabwe.
His Rhema counterpart, Ray McCauley, asked that the event mark the beginning of momentum to help people who are suffering in that country.
Other clerics presiding were Bishop Ivan Abrahams of the Methodist Church and Molefe Tsele, secretary general of the SACC. — Sapa