Thousands of Zimbabweans in South Africa together with members of pressure groups Tajamuka and #ThisFlag, and University of Wits students, on Thursday marched to the Zimbabwe embassy in Pretoria and the country’s consulate in Cape Town demonstrating against what they said was the deteriorating social and economic situation in the country.
Joey Mabenge, who is Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition southern Africa coordinator, said their march was also in support of the millions of people back home that are suffering under the government of President Robert Mugabe.
“We managed to march in thousands in solidarity and we had a set of demands that we intended to present to the ambassador. First and foremost because it is our embassy as Zimbabweans, so we expected that the ambassador must be there to receive us,” Mabenge said.
But he said they were disappointed that the ambassador was not there to receive them and that the embassy staff barricaded themselves inside the buildings.
"That did not deter us because there was quite a huge media presence, so we managed to read out our demands. And I believe that some of us those that had the document that was supposed to be received had other ways of getting it to the embassy other than the ambassador himself or his designated person collect that document," Mabenge said.
He added that by so doing, one way or the other the message was sent home.
Zimbabweans in Britain Wednesday also demonstrated at the Zimbabwe embassy in London, while those in the U.S.A are expected to gather at the embassy in Washington D.C. on Saturday.
Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa, Isaac Moyo, was not reachable for comment.
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Interview With Joey Mabenge