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Bredenkamp fights for Zim citizenship
The Herald (Zimbabwe)
September 20, 2006

http://www1.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=9149&cat=1&livedate=9/20/2006

BUSINESS tycoon Mr John Bredenkamp, who last week lost his Zimbabwean citizenship, has appealed to the High Court seeking restoration of his nationality and the immediate return of his withdrawn passport.

Mr Bredenkamp (66) is challenging Registrar-General (RG) Mr Tobaiwa Mudede's decision to withdraw his passport, saying this has left him "stateless" and that he faces deportation.

In the application, the business tycoon cited the RG, the Ministry of Home Affairs, chief immigration officer and the clerk of the criminal court as first, second, third and fourth respondents respectively.

The hearing of the matter is set for today before Justice Bharat Patel.

In his founding affidavit, Mr Bredenkamp claimed to be a Zimbabwean citizen by registration and argued that Mr Mudede does not have any power to strip him of his citizenship.

"I contend that in law, the first respondent does not have the power to deprive me of my citizenship in Zimbabwe. I also contend that as a citizen, I am entitled to be in possession of a passport only issued to me by the Government of Zimbabwe.

"The action of the first respondent in seeking to deprive me of my rights in that regard has no basis in law and has been taken surely vindictive," he said.

Mr Bredenkamp further submitted that he had since renounced his South African citizenship and that Mr Mudede's decision was "wrongful and unlawful".

"Consequently, I am seeking an order declaring that I am a citizen of this country and entitled to the immediate return of my passport. The effect of the decision is to render me stateless, which decision not only offends our law, but international law," he said.

Mr Bredenkamp's passport was withdrawn last week after his acquittal in a criminal case in which he was accused of illegally using a South African passport on his international trips on 65 occasions.

Soon after the acquittal, the clerk of court refused to return his passport, which had been surrendered as part of his bail conditions, as per a letter from Mr Mudede, dated September 9, 2006.

The letter was addressed to Harare provincial magistrate Mr Mishrod Guvamombe declaring that Mr Bredenkamp had ceased to be Zimbabwean and that his passport should, therefore, be withdrawn.

Mr Mudede said that Bredenkamp had lost his citizenship by default.

Mr Bredenkamp was born on August 11 1940 in Kimberly district of South Africa and acquired Zimbabwean citizenship in 1958 by registration.

In 1984, the business mogul lost his citizenship by default and later restored it in 1998.

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