SW Radio Africa (London)
Tererai Karimakwenda
23 July 2007
A Zimbabwean youth group in South Africa has begun a campaign aimed at pressuring universities there to expel the children of top government officials in Zimbabwe, who they blame for destroying education and harassing students. The move was initiated by the Zimbabwe Youth Movement in South Africa (ZYM), which had planned a demonstration last Friday, that was cancelled by the Metro police in Johannesburg. ZYM spokesperson Remember Moyo told us they had received permission weeks ago but the police informed them in the last hour that they were too busy with other matters to provide security at the event. Moyo added that it was too late to announce a cancellation so he addressed the crowd that had gathered at the Braamfontein Methodist Church and postponed the protest march to Wits University till this Friday.
Moyo said they will present a petition to the Wits University Vice-Chancellor Loyiso Nongxa calling for the South African government to expel the children of senior ruling party officials, on the basis that they have destroyed education in Zimbabwe while their children were attending good schools in South Africa, America and Europe. He explained: "If you look at the situation in Zimbabwe, many students are being harassed and bulldozed by police because the ministers know there is no-one related to them at those Universities. So if it is like that, their children must go back. We don't need to see them enjoying the benefits here."
ZYM officials estimate that there are over 600 children and close relatives of top Zimbabwe government officials studying at universities abroad. They believe that money from taxpayers struggling to survive back home is being diverted to pay their fees. The petition calls for Wits University authorities to immediately expel all students related to Zimbabwean chefs. Moyo said: "The larger number is at Fort Hare and we are going there. We know them and are informing them to go back peacefully now. If it has to come to "chimurenga" then we will have to do that."
Among the privileged children listed in a statement by the ZYM are Leo Mugabe's daughter who is on a presidential scholarship at Fort Hare and another nephew of Robert Mugabe, Hillary Mugabe, who also studies in South Africa. The daughter of ZANU-PF Minister Without Portfolio Elliot Manyika, is at an expensive private university in Johannesburg. Other officials with children studying in South Africa include Major-general Phillip Sibanda and Agriculture Permanent Secretary Ngoni Masoka.
Officials with children studying in the United States include former army commander Vitalis Zvinavashe, Rural Housing Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, Minister of Mines Amos Midzi and the Minister of Education, Sports and Culture Aeneas Chigwedere, whose son Pride is at Harvard University. Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono's twin daughters Pride and Praise and son Passion are in Australia.
The ZYM has more names they are targeting.
Meanwhile back in Zimbabwe students are facing very hard times. Not only does the government continue to increase fees and introduce "top-up" fees that no students can afford, but the latest is that the University of Zimbabwe has suspended 11 students after defying a High Court order last week to allow students to return to their halls of residence.
4000 students living on campus had been given just 30 minutes to pack and leave by armed police two weeks ago, following violent protests during which property worth Z$ 2 billion was alleged to have been destroyed. The students were refusing to pay an extra Z$ 1 million for a semester extension that was caused by a lecturers strike over poor pay.
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