SW Radio Africa (London)
Lance Guma
23 October 2009
column
Several activists and MDC officials in South Africa have slammed an NGO that allegedly manipulated the plight of Zimbabwean refugees there to raise funds for a repatriation programme. MDC SA Chairman Austin Moyo told Newsreel on Friday that hundreds of Zimbabwean refugees at the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg were duped into going back home, on the back of a promise of R7000, computers, printers and scanners, to start internet café's back home.
Recently two buses packed with the refugees made the long journey back to Zimbabwe. On arrival back home none of the promises were delivered, instead the refugees were given R200 to use as bus fare to travel to their respective villages. Within a few days most of the refugees were back in South Africa at the Central Methodist Church, which has become home for thousands over the years. Some reports said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration may have helped fund the repatriation programme.
UNHCR and IOM officials are yet to comment on the matter but sources say the equipment for the refugees was bought some time back, but for some reason has not made its way to the intended beneficiaries.
Newsreel sought comment from Elliot Moyo, whose organization raised the funds for the repatriation. He told us he was in a meeting and could only speak to us after our Friday broadcast. Moyo however promised us a response by Monday. MDC SA spokesman Sibanengi Dube told us it was a very common problem to have NGO's raising money, using the plight of Zimbabwean refugees in South Africa, and later diverting the money for their own use. He said they were investigating the latest case to see where the money and computers went to.
The Zimbabwean crisis has seen the mushrooming of hundreds of NGO's in and outside the country. Although some are genuinely involved in helping the situation, several unscrupulous individuals have also created room for themselves to divert money from donors meant to help people in need.
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Phiri," one wonders why not many people condemn this SW radiopropaganda". That one must be you. I read a story in which SW radio reports on a South African NGO that misused and betrayed Zimbabwean refugees. So if this is propaganda in your eyes it would mean the SA'n NGO did not show that sort of behaviour. You contradict yourself however by stating that NGO's show bad behaviour (and on this one SW Radio was reporting but you say it's propaganda). Conclusion again is you have problems with reading, writing and spelling and your contributions are not of any value since there isn't any logic in them. Calling Texasbob names without any reason is very primitive.It shows clearly how your simple savage instinct operates. I bet if you watch the Zim soccerteam with a bunch of other lowforeheads/iq's and Zim loses the match you guys go angry to the shop where you bought the TV.
rmkooistra, you are right in saying reports have confirmed that NGO's have been abusing Zimbabwean refugees in South Africa for their own benefits and their own political agendas....I just do not think Radio stations, known for having extreme views should be the providers of information to the world about Zimbabwe.
SW Radio has taken sides politically in Zimbabwe and it is a known white Rhodesian farmer spokesperson. Farming and politics in Zimbabwe are a hot bed of controversies and I do not want to get my news sources from SW Radio....I do not trust them! Radio Rwanda called for the murder of 1,000,000 Tutsi. That to me is a warning!!!
Phiri as you are such a stinking racist I just thought I would bring it to your attention that the NGO that manipulated the plight of Zimbabweans in South Africa is no other than Elliot Moyo the organizer - a black man. Further more, the border town of Musina is teaming with young children that have run away from Zimbabwe after seeing their parents killed that the Save the Children organization is dealing with. Some of these children are little girls being used in sex trade, and once again by your own black people. So think again before you blame your own horrors on white people all the time.
Krjs120, the minute I mention white anglo you think I'm a racist. Far be it! Accusing me of racism is a form of political correctness. I'm saying what I say about white anglos because it is what it is, and not because of their race! It is also true that most black africans do not share the views promoted by BBC and other white anglo media outlets. Does that makes me a racist? I don't think so...
Phiri when you talk about "white Anglos," are you talking about the black race? Stop pretending here. You are a stark naked racist.
NGO's and SW Radio behaviour is so bad, that one wonders why not many people are condemning this SW Radio propaganda!