Eight of former Movement for Democratic Change legislator Roy Bennett’s ex-farm workers have been denied asylum by the South African government, ”in what could be a prelude to the outcome of the application for political asylum” by Bennett himself, the state-owned Zimbabwean The Herald newspaper reported on Monday.
Weekend reports from Tshwane said the refugee status determination office threw out the application by Bennett’s ex-workers on the grounds that it contained ”manifestly unfounded” allegations, The Herald said.
”In their submissions, the eight and Bennett had claimed political persecution at the hands of Zimbabwe’s law-enforcement agents as the reason for seeking asylum. A South African newspaper quoted a letter to one of the asylum applicants, which said that the reasons raised for seeking refugee status were unconvincing. The request was not backed by proof that the applicant had reported the alleged persecution to the Zimbabwe Republic Police before fleeing to South Africa,” the newspaper said.
Although it could not be established exactly when the eight applied for political asylum, Bennett made his about two weeks ago, just over a month after he evaded arrest in connection with the arms cache that was discovered in Mutare, The Herald said.
The newspaper quoted Nkosana Sibuyi, South Africa’s home affairs department spokesperson as saying that the former legislator’s application would not be treated differently from other Zimbabwean applicants.
”He said Bennett would be considered in the same manner as about 103 000 other applicants, from different countries, who are also seeking the same status. Despite the rejection of the applications, lawyers from the Wits Law Clinic have taken interest in the matter involving the eight. The law clinic has lodged an appeal at the High Court in South Africa against that country’s home-affairs ministry,” The Herald said.
”Bennett stated in his application that his life was in danger following the unearthing of the arms cache. He got a supporting letter from Amnesty International last month. Bennett went into hiding soon after the cache was discovered before sneaking out of the country via Mozambique and into South Africa,” The Herald concluded. — I-Net Bridge