By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have condemned home affairs minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi’s attack on the Helen Suzman Foundation .
In a statement issued on Thursday, they called on Motsoaledi to withdraw his statement and apologise to the NGO.
The organisations are Freedom Under Law, Defend Our Democracy Campaign, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Section27, Socio-Economic Rights Institute and Corruption Watch.
Motsoaledi issued a statement on Tuesday after the HSF’s court application challenging the minister’s decision not to extend exemptions granted to Zimbabwean nationals beyond December this year.
In his statement, Motsoaledi said there was a disturbing and growing trend by among some NGOs to sabotage the polycentric and policy laden decisions taken by government by using the courts.
The decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit effectively means about 180 000 Zimbabweans and their children living in South Africa will be undocumented and unable to work or live here lawfully from 1 January 2023.
Since a special permit for Zimbabweans was implemented over a decade ago, the situation in Zimbabwe has not improved. In the meantime hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans have made a life in South Africa.
For many, their children have grown up here or even been born here; they know no other country. Now they face being uprooted and forced to go and live in Zimbabwe, a country with an oppressive government and broken economy.
Most alarmingly, he writes: “South Africa is now under the dictatorship of some non-governmental organisations with some having faceless and dubious funders. Their ultimate aim is to assist in the dislodgement of the government of the day from power by all means available.”
Motsoaledi only makes a substantive argument. He says Zimbabweans can apply for other visas provided they’re in line with the Immigration Act.
The NGOs pointed out the foundation’s case was not that the affected Zimbabweans were entitled to remain in the country, but rather that there was no adequate consultation.