Hundreds of people gathered on Vetchie's Beach in Durban on Saturday morning 19 April to protest the supply of arms and ammunitions to Zimbabwe by China.

For almost a week the Chinese vessel An Yue Jiang, had been anchored outside of the port, loaded with a cargo of Chinese supplied weapons and ammunitions destined for Zimbabwe. A court interdict brought by Anglican Bishop Rubin Phillip and Mr Paddy Kearney late Friday afternoon, ordered that the cargo would not be released for transport to Zimbabwe and that the cargo should in fact be offloaded and retained by the authorities pending further action.

However, the vessel left the port overnight, just before the Sheriff of the Court was to board the vessel. It is believed the vessel is headed for Angola. China has a history of entering into 'arms-for-oil' deals with African countries.

Diakonia Council of Churches and the KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council (KZNCC) mounted a prayer and protest action calling on all people of faith to pray for Zimbabwe; on the local authorities to refuse our port to be used in the supply chain of weapons; on the South African government to consider its role as an agent of change for new leadership in Zimbabwe; and to thank God for the work being doing in bringing about a new Zimbabwe for the people of that country. The beach is the closest to the harbour entrance through which the vessel would have entered the port of Durban.

Bishop Purity Malinga, Methodist Bishop of the Natal Coastal District and representative of Diakonia Council of Churches, addressed the large crowd which gathered. Supporters included Zimbabwean refugees and representatives of the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change), the opposition party in Zimbabwe. Bishop Malinga read from the prophet Habbakuk and reminded supporters that God will indeed answer our prayers for Zimbabwe. She had recently returned from a visit to that country and relayed the call to pray, activate and support in whatever way possible. Bishop Malinga urged the people of South Africa to pray for a change in leadership in Zimbabwe, for human rights to be restored and reminded all that what the people of Zimbabwe need most is not arms, but food.

In his address, Zimbabwean Nelson Kamdarami thanked God for what has been achieved todate, acknowledged the presence of other Zimbabweans at the gathering and again called on the faith community to continue in their efforts to fight for justice in Zimbabwe. Revd Anne Verhoef, a local Dutch Reformed minister and council representative of Diakonia Council of Churches, joined others in offering up prayers for Zimbabwe.

The crowd was joined by sympathetic passers-by and other church leaders and people of faith lent their support in prayers, presence and thought. Anglican Bishop Rubin Philip was unable to attend but thanked the organisers for their efforts. The KZNCC issued a call for the whole weekend to be a prayer time for Zimbabwe. Well-known Anglican minister and activist Revd Sue Brittion led the service in prayers and reports on the current situation. Protesters joined hands as they gathered in small groups to pray for the people of Zimbabwe and all joined in singing the hymn "Kum Ba Ya, My Lord".   

Diakonia Council of Churches issued a statement condemning the supply of arms to Zimbabwe, as did Bishop Purity Malinga on behalf of the Natal Coastal District of the Methodist Church. The Anglican Bishops issued a statement on Zimbabwe in the same week. This was followed by calls from various sectors of civil society and later in the week was joined by a huge international outcry against the supply of these arms. Most notable was the call from other African leaders and that of the US, from trade union bodies locally and internationally, from churches around the world and the various media. The ship was eventually 'recalled' by China. China appears to be nervous of this issue adding to the Tibet debacle already clouding the process of the torch to that country. Of concern remains the immediate welfare of Zimbabweans as further reports emanate of violence, torture, abductions and other war crimes. The church in Zimbabwe is calling for assistance from its peers as are all other organs of society within Zimbabwe. The international community continues to pressurise the SA Government to take a more meaningful and active role in determining a future for Zimbabwe.

 Diakonia Council of Churches Statement on Chinese arms for Zimbabwe (17.24 kB)

 Methodist Church (Natal) condemns Chinese arms for Zimbabwe (14.18 kB)

 Statement on Zimbabwe from the Bishops of the Diocese of Natal (14.83 kB)

 Church leaders call for tougher mediation measures on Zimbabwe (18.78 kB)