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Zimbabwean nationals urge government to address dire economic situation

Xinhua, July 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

Hundreds of Zimbabweans living in South Africa staged a protest in front of their embassy in Pretoria on Thursday, demanding that their government act on the dire economic situation in the country where civil servants are not paid.

The protestors marched to the embassy to deliver a message that the Zimbawean government under the Zanu Pf party must attend to the social, political and economic situation bedeviling the country.

Doctors, teachers, nurses and others from all walks of life joined the protest in solidarity with their countrymen who also protest in Zimbabwe.

The protest started peacefully, but later turned violent when a group of protestors beat up an official at the embassy, accusing him of being a member of the dreaded Central Intelligent Organisation. The man was rescued by police.

Police cordoned off the embassy, trying to prevent the protestors from entering the embassy.

Some of the protestors were holding placards, one of which read, "Poverty, Unemployment, Corruption, End it now."

Singing and dancing, the protestors urged the Zimbabwean government to stop arresting peaceful activists protesting.

"We're tired of the government. This government needs to be removed so that we can go back home and work," Felix Ropi, 31, told Xinhua.

He said he joined the protest because the government is restricting imports from South Africa.

As a trader, Ropi said his life was made unbearable and more difficult.

"I can no longer feed my family,"said Ropi, a father of two.

The restriction of imports from South Africa has led to recent unrest in the border town of Beitbridge,during which a government warehouse was set on fire.

Traders are unhappy about new regulations requiring them to get a permit to bring in basic goods from South Africa, including jam, wigs, tyres and mayonnaise.

The Zimbabwean government has been heavy handed in dealing with the protestors. Pastor Evan Mwarire, who led the protest in Zimbabwe, was arrested and appeared in court on Wednesday to face charges of inciting public violence. He was freed later.

Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party, which the ANC considered a fraternal liberation movement, attributed the disturbances to foreign interference.

President Robert Mugabe said a "third force"was behind the protests. Endit