Reading Bev Reeler’s blog about our communities being invaded by cell phone towers and uncaring and non-responsive city officials, I was reminded of a poem by Ignatius Mabasa, one of Zimbabwe’s leading poets.

Concrete and Plastic

I miss the open air
In the open fields.
I miss the stretching space
That was usurped,
By high-rise glass buildings.

I see ashen street kids
Playing and fighting
For an inflated used condom.
“Strong, dependable and
Can hold up to 3 litres of water”.

I look around me
For the coloured butterfly
And the soaring eagle,
But the city has created
Urban modern birds.
The candy eating pigeon
The hamburger-munching crow.

I miss the human-being
In all this concrete and plastic
Where robots and computers
Professors and talk-show hosts
Telemarketers and experts
Tell me what is best for me
Even if they don’t know me.

Taurai Maduna is a well known and talented Zimbabwean photographer. He’ll be sharing World Cup 2010 photographs with us. Here is a Bafana Bafana fan seizing the cup for South Africa!

All rights reserved – if you’d like to use this photograph, visit our web site and write us an email.

Well done to the Mail & Guardian for their persistence:

SA government ordered to release hidden Zim election report By Alex Bell
07 June 2010
SW Radio Africa

The South African government has been ordered to release a hidden report on the 2002 elections in Zimbabwe, after a successful court bid by a local newspaper.

Since 2008 the Mail & Guardian has been trying to have the report released, amid widespread speculation that it contained evidence showing that Zimbabwe’s 2002 disputed election was not free or fair. Judge Sisi Khampepe and Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke were at the time commissioned by then president Thabo Mbeki to visit Zimbabwe and report back on the state of the election. The report was handed over to Mbeki but never made public, although the former President insisted the electoral process in Zimbabwe was completely democratic.

The newspaper’s efforts to access the details of the report were repeatedly denied, leaving it little choice but to seek the intervention of the High Court. The government, now under President Jacob Zuma’s leadership, has seven days to release the report to the Mail & Guardian, after the High Court ruled in the newspaper’s favour last Friday. The government can appeal in that time, but their plan of action is not yet known.

Mail & Guardian Editor Nic Dawes told SW Radio Africa on Monday that he is “extremely pleased” with the outcome of the court challenge, calling it a victory for “freedom of information in South Africa.” He explained that there is a “sense” that the report “will say something very different to what Mbeki was saying about the elections in Zimbabwe.”

The government has argued that the report was ‘confidential’ and a “record of the cabinet and its committee.” They said it contained information “supplied in confidence by or on behalf of another state, for the purpose of assessing or formulating a policy,” and that the content of the report was not in the public interest. The government has also argued that the report would lead to a deterioration of relations between the two countries, as South Africa is the facilitator in Zimbabwe’s ongoing political crisis.

The newspaper has in turn argued that the report is of enormous public interest, as the 2002 elections were marred by vote-rigging, intimidation, violence and fraud by Robert Mugabe’s government, despite South Africa’s contention that the election was free and fair. Dawes also explained that the report was never handed to cabinet despite being described as a “document of cabinet,” and instead remained within the office of the President, rousing more suspicions of its content.

Dawes described the court’s decision as an important one for South Africans who he said were left “injured” by the government’s abysmal handling of the Zimbabwe crisis. Former President Thabo Mbeki faced international criticism for his policy of ‘quiet diplomacy’ towards Zimbabwe; a policy that many say has crippled South Africa’s own reputation. Dawes said that it was a “painful and difficult period” for South Africa, because “it seemed to jar with our own democratic values.”

“The truth of the report might be a way to address some of the hurt and frustration by reasserting our democratic values,” Dawes said, expressing hope that the Zuma administration won’t fight the court’s ruling “too hard.”

“The Zuma administration has taken a more robust and assertive approach than Mbeki, and appealing this ruling and hiding this report will be very damaging,” Dawes said.

Now lest you think Kubatana is resolutely anti World Cup, we’re not! We’re busy drawing straws to see who gets to leave the office early on Friday to watch the opening ceremony and first match, and we included this announcement in our newsletter today:

Regional soccer solidarity . . .

Get your fingers tapping today!
Deadline: Wednesday 9 June 2010

Over the next few weeks the eyes of the world will be on South Africa for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. The tournament starts on 11 June 2010 with the official opening ceremony and the opening game between South Africa and Mexico.

The hosting of the tournament presents us with an opportunity to get behind our neighbours and Bafana Bafana as they take on the best teams in the world.

SANGONeT, a South African NGO, is collecting and coordinating “NGO messages of support” for Bafana Bafana and the successful hosting of the World Cup.

All you need to do is to forward a short message of support from Zimbabwe (no more than 50 words), to info@sangonet.org.za by Wednesday, 9 June 2010. Please copy info@kubatana.net

All messages will be published on NGO Pulse – www.ngopulse.org

A consolidated document with all the messages will be submitted to the South African Football Association (SAFA) on 10 June 2010 to be handed over to the Bafana Bafana team before the start of the World Cup and their first game on 11 June 2010.

We’ve already received these messages of support from our subscribers:

Bafana!Bafana…this is an African cause . . . “Cry the beloved vuvuzela” . . . from the Cape to Cairo the echo of victory shall be heard!
- JM

You are like Excalibur, the great and mighty sword that never lost any battle. You have been given the platform to show the world what Africa is made of. Here is a good luck note from a Zimbabwean lady who is wishing all the best. I salute you.
- RZ

I believe I speak on behalf of many fellow Zimbabweans as I say to Bafana Bafana – “what ever the outcome . . . .we are proud of your our brothers, raise your flag high, and play from the heart . . . for Africa”
- IC

Bafana Bafana, you are the pride of our land,
South Africa, your light will shine to all,
You have already shown the world what you are made of,
You prepared for these games with pride and courage,
Now this is the time for you to shine to the whole world.
- CM

Congratulations on hosting the tournament. Play fair and do it the South African way. Make Africa proud by seizing the opportunity to keep the World Cup in Africa. Ishe Komborera Africa
- ZS

Viva Bafana Bafana Viva. I wish you and the people of South Africa triumph at the prominent Fifa Soccer World Cup Finals. Hold high the golden trophy for victory is already Africa’s. Viva Bafana Bafana.
- KM

Bafana Bafana 2010, it’s historic! Remember it is an African World Cup and belongs to Africa! Go Bafana Bafana you can win it. It is very possible!
- CM

Wish all African teams competing in this year’s World Cup all the best. Make Africa proud. To South Africa: Thank you for bringing the World Cup to our doorstep.
- SC

Get involved! Send your congratulatory message to Bafana Bafana. Write to info [at] sangonet [dot] org [dot] za by Wednesday, 9 June 2010 and cc info [at] kubatana [dot] net

At a press conference attended by the media and diplomats including a representative of the Embassy of Spain, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition condemned the persecution and harassment of civil society activists.  In a speech by Mr. Pedzisai Ruhanya, the Coalition demanded that the Government of National Unity brings to end the persecution.

Cases in point included that of Farai Maguyu, the director of Mutare based Centre for Research and Development (CRD). Mr Runanya said Mr. Maguyu handed himself to the police on the 3rd of June, after his family members and fellow CRD employees were severely threatened and harassed by state security agents. It is believed that Mr. Maguyu is being accused of publishing or communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the state in contravention of section 31 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. Mr. Maguyu is said to have had a meeting with the Kimberly Process Monitor for Zimbabwe, Abbey Chikane discussing human rights abuses and smuggling of diamonds from Marange.

The Coalition said that Mr. Maguyu was arrested in Mutare and transferred to Harare without any known reason, and was detained by the police for over 48 hours before trial, a period which is beyond the legal limit of detention before court trial. The Coalition views this detention as a punishment being put on Mr. Maguyu for “…exposing injustice and for speaking out for the oppressed people of Marange.” The Crisis also believes that the government is “…aware that Mr. Maguyu is supposed to travel to Israel later in June to give evidence at the Kimberly process plenary regarding abuses in Marange.”

The Coalition called upon the Kimberly process to order an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this arrest. The Coalition further warned the government that the world is following the development of this case and will not be silent about it. Mr. Ruhanya further warned the state against any further harm to Mr. Maguwu.

The Coalition saluted the CRD staff members who are reported to be still in hiding and promised to be firm in support of Mr. Maguyu whose arrest, they say, is unwarranted interference with his liberty and is not in recognition of Mr. Maguyu’s basic human rights.

The Coalition also expressed deep concern over the resurgence of attacks and harassment of civil society organization and activists. Citing various cases such as Mrs Getrude Hambira, the Vice Chairperson of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition and Secretary General of the General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union (GAPWUZ) who was forced to flee Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) director Okay Machisa who was arrested in line with a photo exhibition, and lastly the case of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) employees who were reportedly tortured in police custody and later granted bail.

The Coalition further called for a complete overhaul of the government system “…to ensure that the judiciary, public prosecutors and state security agents are non-partisan, independent, impartial and professional.”

During the conference news arrived that Mr. Maguyu was finally brought to court on the 8th of June 2010, and the state was opposing a bail application by Mr. Maguyu’s lawyer.

The Zimbabwean newspaper of 7 June 2010 reports that the Minister Kasukuvere threatened foreign business people with unknown action if they continue working in areas designated for locals by the law. The paper quotes Kasukuvere as saying,

“Come the 30th of June if they are still operating in areas which are reserved for our people by the Indigenisation law they will see what will happen to them. They have come in our country and taken our buildings, displaced our people and even gone to our rural areas to displace our small business traders. How do you come from all that far and come sell milk here in Zimbabwe where do you want milk from our people to be sold to when foreigners are taking the market?”

The head of the Zimbabwe Indigenous Economic Empowerment organization, President Paddington Japajapa, is also reported to have promised to incite local business people to attack foreign owned businesses if Kasukuwere failed to chase them away.

From the look of these threats there are plans to chase these business people the Murambatsvina way, which is grossly inhuman. After all a months notice is unfair. It should be known that these people never entered through closed doors. Neither did they just swarm to occupy these premises without the consent of the owners of the buildings and the government itself.

These entrepreneurs only took advantage of a niche that existed – where were our local businessmen when the premises were taken over?  Where were Kasukuvere and Japajapa? If they the foreigners are selling milk, it means no one was selling that milk before they came.

It seems our local entrepreneurs are not risk takers at all. They have watched the premises being taken by better innovative people. Now they are seeing success and are now resorting to the law to chase them away.

All I am saying is that there is no need to treat these foreigners without respect as if they raided our premises in our absence. There is no need to hate them as if they have not helped us in our times of need by investing in this country.