Action South Africa leader, former Johannesburg Mayor leader Herman Mashaba has said the crisis at Beitbridge border in which some Zimbabweans are being denied entry into South Africa and they resort to daringly cross into SA via Limpopo River should be declared a crime against humanity.
Mashaba was commenting on a video of Zimbabweans sleeping at Beitbridge when they failed to cross into South Africa that circulated on social media when he said:
If this is not declared Crime Against Humanity by the International Community, then I wish to understand the criteria in cases where applied
Herman Mashaba went on to say:
Unless African Dictatorship is declared crime against Humanity, we must not expect a different outcome. So painful to read this clip as much as South Africa cannot be expected to shoulder the world’s problems when we are failing our own citizens.
The situation at our border is showing once again that we cannot solve the problems of the world or the continent. Weak immigration policy and porous borders are now putting thousands of lives at risk. We must never be silenced. This issue will make or break South Africa!
Mashaba then said he is aware of the reason why Zimbabweans flock into South Africa when he said:
I am not naive. I fully appreciate the reasons for Zimbabweans fleeing their country after the destruction caused by Zanu PF and enabled by the ANC. We must fix this problem by ensuring free and fair elections in Zimbabwe and putting an end to human rights abuses,” said Mashaba.
SA already faces massive challenges of unemployment and an overburdened healthcare system. Before we attempt to help the people of the world, we must ensure we are looking after our own citizens. We cannot shoulder the burdens of the world before our own.
Herman Mashaba is known to be vocal about the issues troubling Zimbabwe and this is not the first time he has pointed them out.
