The government’s decision to grant Ms Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity is disgraceful and a camouflaged surrender

21 August 2017

The Congress of South African Trade Unions condemns the decision by the Department of International Relations (Dirco) Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to grant Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity following her assault of a young South African woman.

This makes a mockery of our rule of law and the principle of equality before the law. It is clear now that the citizens of this country cannot be guaranteed protection by this government. This ill thought decision is proof that our so called exceptionalism is an amount of scale ,not of quality anymore. 

While we agree that government has every right to maintain healthy relations with our neighbouring countries but this should not be done at the expense of South African citizens. We cannot allow the political anarchy and vandalism of the Mugabe led administration in Zimbabwe to be imported into our country.

Ms Grace Mugabe should be banned from ever coming into this country. Our government’s camouflaged surrender and cowardice is shameful. We are turning into a Banana republic very fast because of our government’s misdirected idealism.

Issued by Sizwe Pamla, National Spokesperson, COSATU, 21 August 2017