The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE Zimbabwe-South Africa Forum, a diaspora initiative formed by locals living in South Africa has distanced itself from reports that Zimbabwe is a dangerous and military zone and all investors should stop any transactions with the country forthwith.
A shadowy organisation named Zimbabwe Business Forum Link South Africa last week issued a statement calling on prospective investors to suspend all investment deals with the country.
“We are not processing any business plans or packages for Zimbabwe, the forum will not be liable for any losses or sufferings incurred by its prospective member as a result of doing business in Zimbabwe.
“Any of our members or diasporans must not send cash to Zimbabwe, rather send food parcels. The idea is to reduce the annual $1 billion approximate remittances to Zimbabwe which is now the source of liquid cash being used by the Zimbabwean Government,” read part of their statement.
However, Zimbabwe-South Africa Forum president Mr Anele Ndlovu said such statements were toxic.
“As Zim-SA Forum, we completely distance and dissociate ourselves with the statement issued by an organisation calling themselves Zim Business Forum Link.
“We condemn such toxic and untrue statements as we have been informed by security authorities that there is no military on the ground in our country and that Zimbabwe is not a dangerous military zone as there is no military on the ground,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu said Zimbabwe is a safe investment destination.
He said President Mnangagwa has for the past eight months worked hard to change the course of the country both economically and politically.
“He has been very clear and consistent on his message of economy and investment, peace and the rule of law. As Zim-SA Forum, we acknowledge the unfortunate incident that took place on 1 August in Harare where six lives were lost.
“We hope such incidents will not happen in the future where people incite and promote violence, but rather we hope that our people, including our leaders of different parties, will exercise restraint, promote peace even where there are differences, and express themselves within the provisions of the Constitution and the confines of the law,” said Mr Ndlovu.
