Foreign Affairs Ministry challenges Newsday article

Foreign Affairs Ministry challenges Newsday article

Pretty Manyewe

Local publication, Newsday has been caught up in another lie, after releasing an article headlined “Government in shock migration admission” which has since been disputed
The article by Newsday claimed that Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Honorable Frederick Shava, admitted to Zimbabwe depending on earnings from the diaspora in the face of a purported economic crisis in the country.
The article further claimed that Minister Shava said Zimbabwe was working closely with South Africa to the latter’s decision when the Zimbabwe Special Exemption Permits expire in December.
In a statement, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Spokesperson Mr Livit Mugejo said the article carried untrue statements.
The paper also created a fictitious event.
“The report purports that Minister Shava made these admissions while addressing delegates during a courtesy call by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Chairperson Elasto Mugwadi to his office.
The Ministry would want to put it on record that there was no such meeting that took place and therefore no such statements were made by the Honourable Minister as suggested in the report. Rampant speculations by media houses regarding the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits in South Africa and that they were due to expire in December 2022, are largely the cause for these false reports and claims.”
Mugejo said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade was not given the right to reply, as is procedure in journalism.