Four Seasons Before Lunch Gauteng (Pretoria)

 I have lived in Pretoria for half my life, but even at almost 50, l still am not ready for mornings like this . I step out of  home in the morning at 7 a.m., greeted by a warm, gentle breeze and sunshine so golden it felt like summer had arrived overnight. The sky was clear; the jacaranda trees glowed purple; the air smelled of warmth and possibility. “Perfect day,” l muttered, locking his door. By the time l drive out—five minutes later—the sky starts to be darkened. A cold wind came crawling in from nowhere, sweeping dust across the pavement. The temperature dropped so suddenly that  l have  to switch the heater for warmth. Laughing. “Ah, Pretoria… you never disappoint.” Halfway to the office, the heavens opened. Not soft rain— a storm . Sheets of water hammered the road, street gutters overflowed instantly, and distant thunder rolled like a grumpy giant waking up too early. People scattered, hiding under bus shelters already too full.  “Ten minutes ago...

First group of Zimbabweans to be deported from UK arrive home

 


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 (Photo by Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Images)

The first group among dozens of Zimbabweans slated for deportation from Britain landed in the southern African country Thursday on a charter flight, an AFP correspondent said.

According to Harare, as many as 150 of its citizens are held in detention centres awaiting removal from the UK after being convicted of crimes.

Fourteen arrived in the Zimbabwean capital on Thursday following what the UK Home Office described in a statement as "a landmark and historic agreement to return foreign national offenders".

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said the Zimbabweans "committed murder, rape and other despicable crimes."

ALSO READ | Zimbabwe warning sparks vaccination rush

Last-minute legal challenges against the deportations delayed the removal of many among the 50 scheduled to be on the first flight.

Tendai Biti, vice-president of Zimbabwe's main opposition party the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance, urged Britain to reconsider.

"The deportation of compatriots from the UK is sad and regrettable" he tweeted.

Zimbabwe "remains an extremely fragile & vulnerable space. Political attrition & human rights abuses are increasing," he added.

But foreign minister Fredrick Shava said the returnees would not be victimised.

"There is no reason for anyone to persecute them unless an individual had a pending case which had not been finalised in Zimbabwe," he told public broadcaster ZBC.

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