Zimbabwe Businesses the new target

Jo Ann Downs MPP – ACDP

Friday, 27 September 2002


African Christian Democratic Party MPP in Kwazulu Natal, Jo Ann Downs today expressed outrage at reports that a number of Zimbabwe businesses have been targeted and taken over by ZANU PF supporters and officials in recent months.

According reports intimidation tactics are being used in order to get the business owners to relinquish their companies. In one such report an owner and was held hostage over a period of 8 days and in another incident the owner was forced into hiding for 3 months, and eventually sold his business which was worth 300 million Zim Dollars to a ZANU leader for a measly 75 million.

Mrs Downs said, “These acts unless stopped will cause nothing less than rampant loss of the economy and it is a shame that President Mbeki has refused to endorse Zimbabwe’s expulsion from the Commonwealth. This decision condones the actions of a regime that conducts a systematic reign of terror and also puts Nepad at risk. Giving Mr Mugabe yet another six months is endorsing his unacceptable behaviour and allowing him and his supporters to continue undermining the rule of law and perpetuating the suffering that is already experienced by many innocent people there.”

In conclusion Mrs Downs called on the President Mbeki to reverse his decision and allow the defiant Zimbabwean President to be disciplined for the sake of good governance in Africa and his image as a leader who believes in the rule of law.


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For further comment please call Jo Ann Downs MPP at 083 2544167