South Africans show solidarity with Zimbabweans in online protest

Thousands of South Africans have joined Zimbabweans in their protest and calls for a just and less corrupt government using the hash tag #ZimbabweanLivesMatter.

The tensions in Zimbabwe continue to make global news headlines as videos of police brutality against civilians, activists and human rights protesters flood social media. There are reports that people who have spoken against the government have either been abducted or jailed after the planned mass protests on Friday last week.

Among those arrested was Methembe Msipha of Bulawayo, for publicly carrying the Zimbabwean flag. The last time this happened was in 2016, during former president Robert Mugabe's tenure.

Activist Pastor Evan Mawarire had been at the forefront of the #ThisFlag movement to speak against injustice and police brutality.

Twenty-two-year-old old media student Tawanda Muchehiwa was severely beaten, tortured and made to drink his own urine during his abduction last week.

Award-winning author Tsitsi Dangarembga told journalists after her release on Saturday: “I believe that probably all Zimbabweans want a better life for all Zimbabweans and the people who live here. I think that that's a very right motive to have. It's a good thing to live by, and work for.”

Dangarembga called for reform and the release of investigative journalist Hopewell Chin'ono. Chin'ono was arrested one week ago after he exposed alleged government corruption in the procurement of Covid-19 supplies.  

This is what people had to say on social media: