A high level South African church delegation that was on a 2 day pastoral visit to Zimbabwe has expressed outrage at the plight of those made homeless by the Mugabe regime.

The president of the South African Council of Churches, Russell Botman and the Anglican Archbishop for Cape Town, Njongonkulu Ndungane, were part the church delegation that returned to South Africa Tuesday morning after meeting church leaders, civic society and victims of Operation Murambatsvina.

They visited the Caledonia transit camp where thousands of people whose homes were demolished are staying. Ndungane's spokesman, Reverend Mathew Esau, said that the clerics could find no words to describe the shocking situation that confronted them. He said they were outraged by the plight of more than 4 000 people at Caledonian Farm, adding that South Africa squatters under apartheid could not have faced a worse experience. He said: "What we saw was a diabolical situation."

Reverand Esau said the church in South Africa will mount an international and national campaign to expose the tragedy. He added that the church will also speak to politicians in South Africa to say the church will no longer tolerate quiet diplomacy.

Other members of the group included Cardinal Wilfred Napier of the Catholic Church, Dutch Reformed church Moderator Coenie Burger and the president of the International Federation of Christian Churches, Ray McCauley.