Back to Index

DStv subscribers harassed
MISA-Zimbabwe
June 17, 2005

Police in Zimbabwe’s second city of Bulawayo this week descended on DStv subscribers demanding to know the sources of the foreign currency they use to pay for their monthly subscriptions.

According to a report carried by the privately owned weekly Zimbabwe Independent in its 17 June edition, armed policemen knocked on the homes of several Bulawayo residents demanding to know where they were sourcing the foreign currency in question.

Multichoice, which runs the subscription television channels, only accepts payments in either South African rand of USdollars.

The state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings has sole monopoly of the country’s airwaves.

This latest development comes in the wake of the ongoing countrywide clean-up operation which the government says is meant to rid urban areas of illegal structures, street vendors, flea markets and suspected criminals as well as curb illegal foreign currency deals.

Close to a million people have been left homeless following the police operation dubbed Operation Restore Order.

Asked for comment, police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena said the police were justified to investigate cases where they suspect that crimes were being committed.

Visit the MISA-Zimbabwe fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP