Statement on the COSATU Visit to Zimbabwe

The South African Government has been appraised by its diplomatic mission in Harare of developments regarding the visit to Zimbabwe by a Cosatu delegation on Tuesday 26 October 2004.

The South African Government accepts that Zimbabwe is an independent, sovereign state that has an inalienable right to determine and to apply its immigration legislation as it may deem appropriate and in its own interest.

However, the South African Government is in consultation with the Zimbabwean authorities through its diplomatic mission in Harare and will hopefully interact with the Cosatu leadership in the near future to determine whether an amicable solution can be found to the current impasse with a view to avoiding a similar occurrence in the future.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

26 October 2004.