Farmers Protest Move to Expel 10,000 to Zimbabwe
South African farmers said a government decision to expel about 10,000 Zimbabweans working on farms near the border between the two countries posed a serious threat to their struggling operations.
Zimbabweans working on labor-intensive citrus and vegetable farms near the border town of Messina will have to leave today when their work permits expire.
A deal was reached by the government and farmers a year ago to create more jobs for South Africans. Over the past year, the number of Zimbabweans has been reduced to 10,000 from 14,000.
The farmers plan to lodge a complaint in a Pretoria court today against the expulsion.
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