SWAZI ACTIVIST MURDER SUSPECT HELD IN RSA

Suspect arrested in Gabriel Mkhumane’s murderOctober 29, 2008, 17:45
Mpumalanga police have arrested a 35-year-old man suspected of killing Swaziland's main opposition party's former Deputy President, Gabriel Mkhumane. Mkhumane was robbed before he was shot and killed, and his girlfriend repeatedly raped in Kanyamazane outside Nelspruit earlier this year. Mkhumane fiercely campaigned against the Swazi regime and has been in exile for over 20 years before his death.The suspect is a former police reservist attached to the Kanyamazane police station. Police say he was found in possession of some of the deceased’s items. He will face charges of armed robbery, murder and rape. Despite claims by Swaziland's People's United Democratic Movement (Pudemo), implicating that the Swazi regime was responsible for Mkhumane's death, police still maintain his killing was a random act of criminality.Mkhumane started working for the underground structures of the ANC in the late 1970s, before being arrested and detained in Barberton for two years for aiding a banned organisation. He also helped established Pudemo before exiling in Lusaka, Cuba and later South Africa.Meanwhile, Pudemo says the arrest will probably bring closure to Mkhumane's mysterious death. The Party has called for the law to take its course.

WOZA ACTIVISTS STILL DENIED JUSTICE

Mthwakaz's brave women Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu continue to be locked in Zimbabwe's prison despite the fact that the Zimbabwe regime has no case against them. The Zimbabwe government should be held accountable for human rights abuses despite the appeals to the international community by Mugabe's Prime Minister designate Morgan Tsvangirayi to exempt Mugabe from all prosecution.
Click on the following link to listen to VOA interview with the lawyer representing the two women http://www.voanews.com/mediaassets/english/2008_10/Audio/mp3/zim_woza_eng_ncube_jonga_24oct08.mp3

PLEASE HELP THESE MTHWAKAZI WOMEN

Magistrate to give ruling on bail application on Friday 24th October - Williams and Mahlangu remain in prison
October 21, 2008 Posted by web No Responses This post is in: Press statements, Arrests, Protests


Magistrate Maphosa has reserved judgement on the request for bail for Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu until Friday 24th October as the ‘court is very busy’. Bail hearings are normally heard on an urgent basis. Williams and Mahlangu will therefore remain in Mlondolozi Female Prison until that date.

The bail hearing was heard in the absence of Williams and Mahlangu who had not been brought from Mlondolozi as prison authorities claimed that they had no fuel. This being despite the fact that the WOZA support team had been informed yesterday by one of the prison guards at Mlondolozi that they did currently have fuel. Two prison vehicles were also observed by the WOZA support team travelling at great speed into Bulawayo on Sunday afternoon.

The defence lawyer, Kossam Ncube, had also been given permission yesterday by a senior prison officer at Mlondolozi, Mathanire, to bring Williams and Mahlangu to court in his own vehicle if transport was not available. Upon arrival at Mlondolozi this morning however, Ncube was informed that it would not be possible after all by Superintendant Dlamini.

The hearing finally went ahead in their absence before Magistrate Maphosa. Prosecutor Chifamba called another state witness, Detective Sergeant Ncube from the Law and Order Section of Bulawayo Central Police Station to testify.

Ncube claimed he believed that bail should be denied because of pending cases against them, citing four different cases dating back to 2004. None of these cases are actually pending but the witness tried to claim this was because Williams and Mahlangu could never be found to be presented with their summons! On cross-examination however, he could not deny that the two accused had actually appeared in court for all of these cases. Following the cross-examination of the state witness by the defence, the court adjourned for lunch.

After lunch the magistrate heard the arguments of the two attorneys. The state had three main arguments: propensity, that the accused were of no fixed abode and that they had cases pending against them. Chifamba argued that the four cases mentioned by the state witness showed that the two accused had committed similar offences on several occasions and were likely to do so again. He claimed that the court should ignore the fact that these were not serious crimes. He also claimed that because the state witness had testified that he had tried on several occasions to locate the two at their homes, and they were not there at the time, obviously they did not live there. His third argument was that the case relating to a July 2007 arrest that is currently before the Supreme Court is pending and therefore Williams and Mahlangu wilfully lied to the court when asked if they had any cases pending against them.

WE LIVE IN AN INJUSTICE WORLD

MUGABE CONTINUES TO ABUSE MTHWAKAZI WOMEN

WOZA declares a national disaster and demands food for all Zimbabweans in Bulawayo today – 9 arrested
October 16, 2008
Posted by web

This post is in: Campaigns, Press statements, Arrests
Hundreds of members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) took to the streets of Bulawayo this morning, marching for several blocks to Mhlahlandlela Government Complex to declare a national disaster and demand immediate food aid for all Zimbabweans. Nine members have been arrested at the time of this release.
On arrival at the Government Complex, the group of approximately 200 sat down outside the gates whilst a delegation of four elderly women went in to request that the Regional Department Heads of all the service departments come out and address the crowd on what is being done to alleviate the humanitarian crisis facing the country.
The group sat peacefully waiting to be addressed for 45 minutes before five riot police approached the group. Two leaders, Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, were arrested and taken to Drill Hall, which is across the road from Mhlahlandlela. The rest of the group were forcibly dispersed by being beaten with baton sticks. At least one member is receiving medical attention for the beating she received. Williams and Mahlangu were later taken to Bulawayo Central Police Station, where they are currently being held.
It appears that a group of seven women were arrested before the demonstration began as they were sitting waiting for the signal to start. They were apparently sitting near some black market foreign exchange dealers and were arrested along with them. They have also been taken to Bulawayo Central Police Station. Lawyers are still trying to verify reports that the group had been beaten inside Bulawayo Central.
The peaceful protestors had begun their march near the High Court and processed several blocks to Mhlahlandlela, singing and handing out the October 2008 Woza Moya newsletter to passers-by who rushed out into the street to receive them. A copy of the October 2008 newsletter with the group’s demands can be found below.
The demonstrators also paused at two intersections to sit down whilst chanting in Ndebele – ‘ayihlale phansi ihambe umthetho’ (sit down and maintain discipline). As during their last demonstration two weeks ago, this was sang both as a way to ensure that the activists maintained non-violent discipline and also as a message to politicians to sit down and respect the deal. Other songs sang include a WOZA favourite – ‘this is an issue that men are failing to solve’.
The protest was further to a previous peaceful protest on 29 September where the theme was ‘actions speak louder than words’. The political impasse continues a month after the power-sharing agreement was signed and the crisis facing people in their daily lives deteriorates dramatically every day. The power-sharing deal mentions grave concern for the humanitarian crisis facing people and yet still nothing has been done. People and children are dying of starvation whilst the politicians continue to talk.
WOZA therefore continues to demand immediate action regarding the formation of a new government that will begin to work on solving urgent social issues, like food, electricity and water. Recognising that the situation in the country is now a national disaster we also demand that ALL Zimbabweans receive access to food aid and also seed and agricultural inputs.
In other news, both groups of members facing trial this week have been removed off remand. On Tuesday 14th, the decision on the application for review of the case of Cynthia Ncube and Trust Moyo was not ready. Whilst the decision from the High Court is pending, they were removed off remand.
The ‘Chikurubi 14’ due to face trial in Harare Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday 15th, were also removed off remand. The docket was not available and although the State tried to insist that they were ready for trial and were trying to get the group further remanded for trial, the Magistrate upheld the resolution that she had made on 26th August that if the trial did not take off on the 15th October, the group would be removed off remand.
We also ask that you call Bulawayo Central Police Station on +00263 9 72515 , +00 263 9 61706 or +00263 9 63061 and ask for the immediate release of all WOZA members including Williams and Mahlangu and that they not be mistreated in custody.

TOUGH TIMES FOR MTHWAKAZIANS

Today while scrolling through the sites carrying news from my native land I came across an article that made me weep and cry for almost the whole entire session as I read through it. Not only was I reminded of the way and conditions I once lived under, but also the desperation and the vulnerability of our women and children under such circumstances really breaks me down. In these civilised times, it is unacceptable for women and children to undergo the trauma that this article carries. I have pasted it below for everyone to feel free and read.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/-/1066/479764/-/148qx9iz/-/index.html
Zimbabweans wait to withdraw cash outside the Central African Building Society bank in the capital Harare. Zimbabwe is facing a major crisis amid signs that a power-sharing deal may collapse. Photo/REUTERS

By KITSEPILE NYATHI NATION Correspondent Message


Posted Sunday, October 12 2008 at 18:46
In Summary

It’s a major crush at border as many Zimbabweans try to cheat their way into South Africa with fake pay slips
Others bribe South African police officers who set up roadblocks on the highway to hunt for Zimbabwean illegal immigrants.

HARARE, Sunday

Park station in downtown Johannesburg, South Africa teems with Zimbabweans arriving in the land of plenty in rattled buses that dramatise the escalating economic crisis back home.

The majority of the arrivals have harrowing tales to tell and complain that the decade old economic problems in Zimbabwe are dehumanising them.

Mrs Nancy Hadebe, a primary teacher with 15 years experience says she braved the crocodile infested waters of the Limpopo River because she had no hope of obtaining a Zimbabwean passport.

An ordinary passport can take up to five years to be processed because the government does not have foreign currency to buy materials used in the production of the documents.

“I was deported from South Africa last week after police raided our apartment in the middle of the night,” she said. “We were dumped in Beitbridge but I could not go home because of the desperate situation back there.”

She joined others

So she joined others who were crossing the river that separates Zimbabwe and South Africa and they escaped detection by army patrols.

To get to Johannesburg, they bribed police officers who set up roadblocks on the highway to hunt for Zimbabwean illegal immigrants.

Mrs Hadebe is among the unlucky thousands who get arrested throughout South Africa everyday for entering that country illegally and are immediately returned home.

The International Immigration Organisation (IOM) which has set up a reception centre to receive the deportees says the majority of them quickly find their way back to South Africa through undesignated entry points.

“I make it a point that I carry 100 rands with me where ever I go to pay the police if I am unfortunate to get arrested,” says Mr George Mkhwananzi who has lived as an illegal immigrant in Johannesburg for the past 10 years.

At Beitbridge border post, the busiest entry point in Southern Africa that operates around the clock, queues snake out of the buildings on both the Zimbabwean and South African sides.

Immigration officials complain that the traffic is increasing at an alarming rate and that Zimbabweans are resorting to desperate measures to try and beat the tough South African visa requirements.

The most common is the use of fake pay slips for civil servants as Zimbabwean government employees do not need visas to visit South Africa.

Ordinary Zimbabweans must have 2,000 rand of travellers’ cheques and proof that they will have accommodation in the neighbouring country to obtain a three month visa.

“I know you people from Bulawayo forge pays lips and I am not going to give you a visa,” shouted a South African immigration official as he handed back middle aged Zimbabwean woman her passport.

The woman began crying like a baby telling the disinterested officials that her sick husband in Johannesburg needed her by his side.

MTHWAKAZI PEOPLE'S CONVENTION GLASGOW LAUNCH

MPC Launch – Glasgow, Scotland – September 27, 2008.

Saturday 27th September, 2008 was a historic day for the future of Mthwakazi. Glasgow, Scotland witnessed the birth of Mthwakazi People Convention after being carried in the womb for 2 frantic years of behind the scenes consultations.
The significance of the venue and the date was important. The date was a day early to mark the 140th anniversary of King Mzilikazi’s death. In remembering the King’s death, a new nation was born. Scotland was also significant in that it is a nation that is in transition to seeing full autonomy from the British rule.
People came as far as London for the event. Members of the NEC and the Regional leadership took part in the event. People from all walks of life and affiliations graced the meeting. A moving launch speech by the President of MPC, Edwin Mkhwananzi, was read by the Regional Secretary-general Nkululeko Ndlovu. It defined what Mthwakazi is; how it has been marginalized; the sham of both the 1987 and 2008 so-called Unity Accords. It plotted the systematic and institutional betrayal and annihilation of the Mthwakazi nation by the present day government of Zimbabwe.
The participants were given the opportunity to pose questions and opinions on the speech and the way forward that MPC will take in future. Under the highly efficient and bubbly NEC member and Director of Communications, Kirth Dube, who chaired the meeting, interesting observations from different people were heard and debated on. Some expressed fears, some concerns and some expressing joys to the birth of this new baby. Themba Nyoni, who is the MPC Director of Policy and Research, summed up the launch of the MPC with the analogue of a new born baby, who will grow and acquire language, characteristics, mannerisms and general development from people around it. The people of Mthwakazi will see to the well being of this new baby, see it crawl, run and eventually take its rightful place in the world.
The Glasgow launch was a precursor to the other launches set to take place in the USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa ,Zimbabwe that will be marked by celebrations, bringing in chiefs, cultural groups, other Mthwakazi political groups and individuals together.

This story was published by MPC Communications department on 28/09/08. All rights reserved.

FIGHTING EVIL

Suffering, persecution or even imprisonment comes to our people as a result of open critisism of the Zimbabwean regime. Even authorities of modern day democracies who potray themselves as upholders of human rights laws now have institutions that practice Robert Mugabe's victimisation tactics, threats and use of force to our people, they violate United Nations Human Rights laws simple because we have been left desperate by our own system of governance.

Everyone wants to achieve ambitions and achieve success. We can defeat EVIL. But why do so many people fail? The answer is simple: those who fail have never discovered and explored the tremendous potential for success that is innate in each of us. Zanu PF and Mugabe can be defeated. The evil institutions that torment our people can be exposed and be crushed, its simple, like one leading biologist once said, " It is all too obvious that, in the great majority of human beings, the greater part of their possibilities, whether physical or spiritual, intellectual or aesthetic, remains unrealised," I urge all our people to call all their dormant powers and work towards CRUSHING the EVIL that has befell us.

DON'T TURN A BLIND EYE ON THE ZIMBABWE VIOLENCE

Robert Mugabe Zimbabwe's dictator and butcher of the Mthwakazi people continues to defy international law suffocating and brutalising Zimbabweans of all walks of life. It is disturbing that many Zimbabweans who have fled from Mugabe's regime find themselves fighting against the world's 'isms' where ever they have seeked refuge. Many of the Mthwakazi and Zimbaweans are faced with emotional torture, racial prejudice and discrimination of all kinds for the sake of escaping Mugabe's Zanu PF led regime .

While Morgan Tsvangirayi battles to secure himself employment under Robert Mugabe the suffering people of Zimbabwe cannot just look hopeless and expect that a miracle will happen to remove Mugabe. A more radical and forcefull aproach should be exercised by the people of Zimbabwe against these thugs who only are concerned for their wallets than the lives of the voters.

Robert Mugabe and his regime must be pushed away by force rather than by negotiations. The people of Mthwakazi have indicated through their political movement that they are now prepared to get Mugabe and his Zanu PF out of Matebeleland and Midlands using means that will be constututional and avoiding any shed of innocent blood. It remains to be seen how Mugabe and Zanu PF will respond to that. MDC has lost its direction, Tsvangirayi is driving the MDC movement without his licence and M.O.T, thus has misled the people and has fallen into Mugabe's trap. As far as Mthwakazians are concerned, MDC is now non existent in UMthwakazi.

I remember challenging one pro MDC staunch supporter some 8 years ago in Bulawayo at the NRZ building who wanted to recruite me to their movement, telling him that MDC is just onother of the CIO formations with the traits of Zanu. As a Mthwakazian I tried to reason with this Mthwakazi son but couldn't knock sense into his skull. I tried in vain to warn him that MDC, like the Zimbabwe Unity Movement (ZUM) will eventually dump Mthwakazians when Mugabe's job is welldone. 8 years down the line where are we? the same conversation we held at the National Railways of Zimbabwe headquarters in Bulawayo has come to pass, Tsvangirayi has rejoined Mugabe but has not officially told his supporters whom he has fooled for all these years. Tsvangirayi and MDC have sold to Zanu PF as predicted by all wise Mthwakazians.

The MDC leadership are cowards who sit at the comfort of their luxury homes and can run to any embassy when things don't go according to plan whilst those who support them have to live with the reality of facing up to Mugabe's force or being left destitute, hungry, distressed whereever they have run to for refuge.

This is the time for people to reflect and come out with a solution that will remove the Zimbabwean regime for good. As for me, I am now prepared to die for my freedom. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness and against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" Eph. 6:12.

To our people I say, the battle against the Evil Robert Mugabe continues. Our struggle is a penetrating portrayal of our world, a reflection of its spiritual wanderings, and a vivid reminder of the redemptive spirit of our forefathers who created our Mthwakazi state which now lies stolen by Mugabe's regime.

Xenophobia Attacks resume in Cape Town

October 08, 2008, 11:00

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has condemned xenophobic violence that occurred in the Eastern Cape this week."The barbaric incident that occurred in the vicinity of Queenstown and the recent torching of more than 20 shops in Jeffreys Bay, illustrate the dangers that xenophobia is posing to our province," said DA spokesperson Bobby Stevenson. "This unacceptable violence must not be tolerated in our province and urgent action needs to be taken to ensure that it is stamped out."About 200 people went on the rampage, looting shops owned by Somalis in Jeffreys Bay. The police fired warning shots at the looters who threw stones at them. One person was shot and admitted to hospital. - Sapa

MPC INTERVIEW ON SW RADIO AFRICA

Diaspora Diaries 300908

Alex is joined by representatives of the newly launched Mthwakazi People’s Convention, Mkululeko Ndlovu MPC General Secretary for the UK region, Kirth Dube MPC Director of Communcations, and Tony Mafukidze, an activist and supporter of the political movement. Alex and her guests discuss the history and current importance of the emergence of the party, and the goals the MPC has for the future of Zimbabwe’s political sphere. Ndlovu says the party is taking ‘treasonous’ action by moving to oust Robert Mugabe as a recgonised leader in the Mthwakazi region.

http://www.swradioafrica.2bctnd.net/09_08/dd300908.mp3