Thokozani Mtshali

Mozambican consul Arthur Verissimo will tomorrow meet with MEC for safety, security and liaison Vusi Shongwe to discuss the plight of Mozambican nationals living in the province.

This will be the second such high-profile meeting between the two.

The first meeting came after Verissimo had filed an official complaint with the South African government about the way Mozambicans were being treated in the country.

Verissimo on Wednesday said he believed there had been some slight improvements since his meeting with Shongwe two months ago.

“But I will be clear on this matter on Friday (tomorrow) after the follow-up meeting,” Verissimo said.

During the April meeting, Verissimo presented a list of complaints, one of the major ones being the alleged assault of a Mozambican woman, Albertina Mabasa, by South African police, leading to her losing a thumb.

“We had given them numerous case numbers regarding these allegations and we are hoping to find out what has happened since then. I also told him that due to Mpumalanga’s proximity to Maputo, most Mozambicans came here to shop and to get medical care, which they pay for, and therefore bring money to South Africa,” he added.

Although there were official functions marking yesterday’s Africa Day in the province, Verissimo said he often visited communities in and around Nelspruit to talk to local residents about the plight of Mozambicans.

Next week, he will be having a meeting in KaBhokweni, one of Mbombela’s biggest settlements, outside Whiteriver.

It is estimated that there are 75000 Mozambicans scattered across Mpumalanga and Limpopo and some have been in the country for as long as 25 years but, according to Verissimo, they are still encountering difficulties in getting documents for either themselves or their children.

“Some Mozambican children who have gone to school in South Africa could not get their matric certificates because they have no IDs, but I am trying hard to sort these things out,” he said.

After their last meeting, which was described by Shongwe as a “cordial but frank and open discussion,” the South Africans said they believed cooperation on the matter was essential, as the two countries shared lots of common interests.

Shongwe said he wanted the two parties to find constructive ways to prevent such acts which, he believed, could damage the relationship between the two countries.

Verissimo also warned that any reluctance by both parties to tackle the problem would feed the xenophobia problem, as the absence of dialogue created a “fertile ground for conflict”.

The spotlight is expected to fall on the police, who are generally perceived to lack any interest in investigating alleged crimes or to bring suspects in cases involving Mozambicans before the courts.

Police are also accused of committing some of the crimes, including harassment of Mozambicans and demanding bribes from motorists driving cars registered in Mozambique.