South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters party has warned President Mnangagwa’s government to handle protests with care and not to use disproportionate violence against unarmed protesting citizens.
Below is a statement released by EFF:
We extend our solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe who have taken to the streets to protest against increase in petrol prices. We call on the government of Zimbabwe to respond to these demonstrations with restraint. We particularly condemn the unleashing of the military on citizens.
A democratic government knows too well that militaries are not entities used to respond to protesting, and defenseless citizens. To unleash military is to treat citizens as enemies of the state, who must be met with excessive violence, force and death, as militaries are death driven, only to be deployed to those who are armed and sworn enemies of the people. Militaries should never ever be used against protests and civil defiance demonstrations.
The progressive international community celebrated the fall of Mugabe, with the hope that the era of human rights abuse , associated with his reign in Zimbabwe , will come to an end. President Mnangagwa is therefore consistent with the Mugabe administration violation of citizens’ rights to protest and civil disobedience.
