Roy Bennett meets with Zimbabwean refugees in Johannesburg
By Tichaona Sibanda
11 December 2006

Exiled MDC treasurer-general Roy Bennett on Sunday met with a group of Zimbabwean refugees sheltered at the central Methodist church in Johannesburg , South Africa . Bennett who relocated to South Africa early this year fearing for his safety in Zimbabwe , became the first senior member of the MDC to visit the refugees in Johannesburg . ‘My visit to the church was to show solidarity with the refugees, to show them that we are together in this struggle to fight Zanu (PF) and Robert Mugabe,’ Bennett said.

More than 100 refugees are sheltered at the central Methodist church and the visit by Bennett was a morale booster to most of the refugees who have struggled to make ends meet since fleeing persecution in Zimbabwe .

Solomon Chikohwero, vice-chairman of Zimbabwe ’s civic society organisation in South Africa said there were scenes of emotion when Bennett visited the church, with many of the refugees shedding some tears when they saw the former MDC MP for Chimanimani.

A number of the refugees wanted to know from Bennett what the party was doing to help them attain refugee status. There were also questions raised from the floor on what the MDC was going to do amid reports that Zanu (PF) wanted to extend Mugabe’s presidential term by two more years. ‘Basically what I told them was that the MDC fully supports anyone who fled Zimbabwe because of persecution or threats to life and limb. We have a clear policy on that as a party that genuine asylum seekers would get all the help they need from the party,’ he said.

On reports that Mugabe might rule until 2010, Bennett said the MDC would make noise about the issue because people no longer want to be suppressed. ‘Instead of discussing ways of bringing back sanity, we hear reports that they want Mugabe for life. As the MDC we will say no. Its high time everyone said we need democratic space, a new constitution because people are tired of Mugabe and his party,’ he said.