HARARE – South Africa’s Police minister Fikile Mbalula has accused undocumented Zimbabwe nationals of wreaking havoc and perpetrating crime in the neighbouring country.
“The criminals who did criminality at Hyde Park and stole jewellery, we arrested them, five of them and I was attacked on Twitter for saying that they are all from Zimbabwe. Yes they are from Zimbabwe.
” There are people who come from Zimbabwe and cross the line here. They run away from the military in Zimbabwe and they come and promote criminality here in South Africa. That is the truth, where should I tell that truth?,” said Mbalula.
He said that it is difficult for the police to trace the said criminals because their details are not captured as they are in the country illegally.
“They are in the payroll of criminals and we can’t trace them. When you steal, let me tell you, it’s easy to trace you because I will find you somewhere in the forensic because I’ve got your fingerprints. I’ve got you all covered South Africans. I’ve got your fingerprints, you come here you steal, I’m going to arrest you very easy, but Zimbabweans? Where will I find them? They enter the country illegally and then they just come here and not promote goodwill.”
Maintaining that his remarks should not be confused with xenophobia, Mbalula said that he had no problems with Zimbabweans as they are working in South Africa in “our kitchens” and that they are highly educated.
“And don’t confuse that to xenophobia, it’s not xenophobia. Zimbabweans are working for us in this country, very good Zimbabweans. They are working in our kitchens, they are everything and so on. Highly educated people. If there’s anything President [Robert] Mugabe did is to educate his people. The people who are working in your kitchens are doctors. They are more educated than you, from Zimbabwe.”
“Then there is a group of these criminals who are from the army and they come here in this country, they rob, terrorise and they kill. That’s what they do. So we arrest them and we’ve got them and that is it,” said Mbalula.
