Zimbabwean lawyer refuses to be silenced by South Africa Home Affairs Minister

“The permit scheme is a grotesque shakedown of an ethnic minority, no different from fascists of old, shamelessly cashing in on potentially billions of rands from mostly Zimbabwean migrants,” Chitando said.

“I have been asked by Zimbabwean nationals, not just ZEP holders, who have been extorted for bribes by officials in the DHA, to seek justice for this the biggest fraud in African history, which persists,” adds Chitando in a statement.

Chitando also disputed a statement by Motsoaledi that Zepha had withdrawn its case and repeated the accusation that Zimbabweans had been defrauded of hundreds of millions of rands. The accusations of fraud against the minister were repeated on the SABC.

A letter of demand to Chitando from attorneys Sigogo, which represents Motsoaledi, said the offending tweets create the impression that the minister “committed fraud and theft of monies paid by the Zimbabwean nationals,” abused state resources, is a thief and liar.

Chitando should have been aware that the minister “does not have access to the monies paid by foreign nationals for granting exemptions to Zimbabwean nationals by successive Minister of Home Affairs,” says Sigogo.

He was given 24 hours to remove all defamatory statements, apologise and pay a sum of R200 000 which would be donated to charity.

Rather than backing down, Chitando instructed his attorneys MSM & Associates to advise the minister that he “stands by the evidence, and argument, before the court that ZEP holders have been defrauded by the South African government. Your client (Motsoaledi) is an official in that government.”

Chitando’s attorney Sindiso Sibanda says his client has a constitutional right to update his clients, “of whom there are many, on the status of pending litigation, on a platform of his choice, including social media. Your client has no right to regulate the legal advice our client provides to his clients”.

The threat of bringing an urgent application before the court unless Chitando complies with the minister’s demands is an attack on the legal profession generally. It is also inconsistent with the Constitution and is a threat to the rule of law, says MSM & Associates, in response to the minister’s demands.

“Any further acts of intimidation, and/or actions to silence our clients, will be vigorously opposed,” says Sibanda.- Moneyweb

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