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Concern over farm attacks

    JOHANNESBURG

    Farm attacks and other crimes in South Africa’s Northern Province “could increase” if former Zimbabwean farm workers currently living in the area are repatriated in line with a Home Affairs ruling, SAPA reported security personnel as warning.

    The Home Affairs department ruled that approximately 16,000 foreign farm workers, currently in possession of valid work permits, must be sent back to their country of origin by 15 October. The department said they must make way for unemployed South Africans. But Colonel Tol Snyman, commander of the Soutpansberg Military Area, alleged that repatriating the workers could put 16,000 potential criminals on the streets.

    “Until such time as something is done about Zimbabwe’s economic situation, it will be useless to repatriate these people,” he insisted. Snyman said that in reality the ruling means that the workers will return to South Africa to find work illegally elsewhere.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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