*EMERSON DAMBUDZO MNANGAGWA AND HIS ZANU PF PARTY ARE PARTLY TO BLAME FOR THE DEATH OF ELVIS NYATHI*
We woke up to the sad news of the painful death of Elvis Nyathi, who had to endure hours of torture, before he was eventually burnt to death in Diepsloot Joburg South Africa.
His attackers who are suspected to be members of some anti foreigners vigilante group, were going around asking people to produce their national registration documents or passports if they are foreigners, and it happened that Elvis Nyathi who was employed as a gardener before his untimely death had neither a passport nor an ID which is a common phenomenon amongst his fellow countrymen from Zimbabwe who are illegal immigrants in South Africa.
It is said that the now deceased Nyathi, his wife and one of their neighbors went and hid specifically because he had no identity documentation not because they were criminals of any kind, unfortunately Elvis was caught and the rest is now history.
In the woke of these sad and disturbing news, the media and other stakeholders have been busy asking difficult questions to the anti foreigners leaders like politicians, and activists, if they are not to be blamed for this and as expected they deny any wrong doing
It is my considered view that while some views and sentiments by South Africans, about foreigners are justified, they have taken the easy and unfortunate route which in the long run will not solve anything but only perpetuate the hatred amongst black people.
They have chosen to attack the poor black foreigners who are equally struggling like them, instead of confronting the real culprit in the case of Zimbabwe it’s none other than ZANU PF and it’s leadership particularly Mnangagwa who is sponsoring the exodus of people from their own country to other countries particularly South Africa because of mismanagement of the country.
If Mnangagwa’s government was legitimate , corrupt free as well as not using force on civilians, if Mnangagwa’s government was not tribalistic segregating and marginalizing Matabeleland people, there is a great chance that Elvis Nyathi could have been alive today and minding his own business somewhere in Matabeleland.
It is therefore important for South Africans to understand that the poor Zimbabweans on the streets of South Africa are not to be blamed in fact they have no capacity to fight ZANU PF machinery hence they run away to South Africa. My appeal to Lux and Dudula movement as well as Mashava and his party among all other anti foreigners groups is that they should use their energy, anger and whatever is at their disposal to protest and compel their government led by Cyril Ramaphosa of ANC to stop siding with ZANU PF and as a big brother in Southern Africa and African Union, the ANC government should see to it that in 2023 when Zimbabweans go to the polls ZEC delivers a free fair and credible election and the true results as expressed by the people.
Nobody should be killed for campaigning for their preferred candidates. It is common knowledge that if Zimbabwe holds free and fair elections, a new government will be ushered in with the full international backing and the so called economic sanctions will be removed and Zimbabweans will volunterilly come home to Zimbabwe.
Which will save everybody but it will be difficult to stop hungry and struggling Zimbabweans and other foreign nationals from coming to South Africa.
We condemn in the strongest terms the killing of Elvis Nyathi who it turns out he wasn’t a criminal they were looking for.
We respect South Africa’s democracy and it’s constitution, we have faith in their justice system it is for that reason that we ask the government to empower their police force to do their work so that ordinary citizens won’t take matters into their own hands.
We also condemn the criminals in South Africa and we ask the police to do their work and the South Africans should at least not paint everyone with the same brush not everyone is a criminal. And vigilante groups are not trained to verify information they get, hence they killed an innocent 43 year old family man.
ZANU PF Leadership must bury themselves in shame for the death of Elvis Nyathi.
Their failure to run the country have led us to this. People must decide register to vote and vote ZANU PF out.
For how long will our people continue to be called by all sorts of demeaning names in foreign lands, only because Zanu pf has made it difficult for citizens to enjoy living in their own country.
Make sure you register to vote and let’s all make sure the international community helps Zimbabweans in holding zanu and zec accountable we can not continue to be held at ransom as a people by our own government. Abahambe.
Elder Mbonisi Solomon Gumbo is a National Executive Member of MRP, writing in his personal capacity
