South Africa

This blog was written by a Zimbabwean refugee living in South Africa. Visit SW Radio Africa for more about the billboard at the centre of controversy in South Africa.

Before I fled Zimbabwe, I lived in an area that strongly supported the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. I too was a supporter but was not seen to be that active.

About three and a half years ago the youth militia, who we call the Green Bombers, were deployed into our area to identify people who were MDC supporters. I was approached by about ten Green Bombers at my home and they accused me of being a member of the MDC and indicated I caused trouble in the area. They told me that I was to leave the MDC and start supporting the ruling ZANU PF party but I told them I would not give up my support for the MDC.

These militia then beat me severely until I was unconscious. This beating took place in front of my family. They threatened that if I continued to support the MDC, they would evict the family and myself from our house. They then left and assaulted other MDC supporters in the area as well as doing damage to their houses.

Over the next two to three years I was arrested on four occasions by members of the security forces and CIO, on each occasion I was badly beaten and humiliated in front of other people as an example as to what would happen should they be so foolish as to support the MDC.

As the Why Democracy? project has progressed, it's got me thinking about how loosely we have used the term "democracy" on so many occasions. Is it the end product? Is it a fantasy? Is it merely a stepping stone to better governance and civic engagement?

My disillusionment with so many things happening in South Africa at the moment makes me wonder about how the people who fought so hard for a democratic society would feel about the crises we face today.