Attack on a South African Woman in Zimbabwe

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO: PQ551

MR R JANKIELSOHN (DA) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

(I) Whether the attack on a South African Woman in a bus in Zimbabwe on 30 March 2005 has been taken up with the Zimbabwean authorities; if not; why not; if so, what are the relevant details;

(2) how many reports by South African citizens of (a) violence, (b) intimidation, (c) false arrest
and (d) confiscation of property by the Zimbabwean government, have been reported to the
South African Embassy in Harare since 1 January 2000?
N742E

REPLY:

1) Mrs Zwane, reported the case to the Zimbabwean police before approaching the Embassy for assistance. The case had already been reported to the Zimbabwean police. The Embassy then provided normal consular assistance to her and handed over her statement to the SAPS representatives at the Embassy, who in turn raised the matter with their Zimbabwean counterparts.

2) The South African Embassy in Harare has dealt with numerous consular complaints by South African citizens since 1 January 2000.

(a&b) Embassy has dealt with all complaints in the prescribed manner.

(c) The Embassy is not aware of any cases of false arrests of South African nationals.

(d) The Embassy in Harare is working on an ongoing basis to resolve some of the issues related to the confiscation of property and will continue to provide consular and other services to South African citizens in Zimbabwe.