The diplomatic corps in South Africa has sent a strong letter to the South African government complaining about its continued failure to take any action to protect diplomats from crime.
This includes a complaint that the government has three times postponed scheduled meetings with the diplomats to address the crime problem and how to increase their protection.
The third meeting scheduled for December 11 between diplomats and Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was postponed indefinitely this week.
Prior meetings with her or with Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula were supposed to happen in November and early December but did not. Several ambassadors and other diplomats and their staff have become victims of crime recently.
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'there are no visible signs that effective steps have been taken' On Tuesday, the dean of the diplomatic corps, Libyan ambassador Dr Abdullah Alzubeidi, wrote to Dlamini-Zuma and other senior foreign affairs officials on behalf of all embassies and international organisations represented in South Africa to "express their grave concern about the high level of violent crime".
The letter expressed "deep regret and profound disappointment" that various meetings between the diplomats and the South African government had been postponed three times "despite the urgency of the situation and the radical multiplication of crime against diplomatic and consular representatives.
"It may be noted that in spite of past and continuing official dialogues with the South African authorities, there are no visible signs that effective steps have been taken to ensure the security of the diplomatic and consular communities."
The letter said the diplomats expected the South African government to fulfil its responsibilities to protect diplomats, as spelt out in the Vienna Convention governing diplomatic relations.
The letter asked the government to respond to the letter, stating the "specific and immediate measures" that it would take "to protect the lives and property" of diplomats.
The department of foreign affairs could not be reached for comment on Wednesday night. - Daily News Correspondent
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This article was originally published on page 1 of Daily News on December 14, 2006
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