Zim, SA agree to probe Zanele’s death

HARARE – South African authorities and their Zimbabwean counterparts have agreed together with the family of Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo to review the circumstances surrounding the death of his daughter Zanele.

As the Moyo family continues to seek an adequate explanation on Zanele’s death, South African Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi, his Zimbabweans counterpart David Parirenyatwa and the Moyo family, as represented by their attorney Terrence Hussein, met Thursday in Harare “to discuss the puzzles around the unfortunate death of Zanele”.

In a joint press statement after their meeting, the parties to the saga said they had discussed issues pertaining to the concerns raised by the Moyo family and Zimbabwean authorities on the manner Zanele’s post-mortem was handled in South Africa.

The three parties agreed that the matter be discussed at a more senior level since was between two sovereign states owing “to the problems and confusion encountered thus far”.

“It was also agreed that a process be set up between the minister of Health in South Africa and his Zimbabwean counterpart with the help of relevant authorities and experts from both countries to expedite and take the matter to its finality,” reads the statement.

Part of the process according to the statement signed by all the three parties, will include a process of reviewing the progress on investigation carried out, revisiting the post-mortem procedure as well as repatriation of Zanele’s outstanding remains.

This followed the Moyo family’s denial of South African media claims that the unprecedented removal of her heart during autopsy was done with their blessing.

South Africa’s Cape Times newspaper recently published an article that quoted SA Police Service spokesperson Musa Zondi saying removing Zanele’s heart was “in order” as the Moyo family had agreed to this.

Twenty-year-old Zanele was a second year student majoring in Political Science, International Relations and Gender Studies at the University of Cape Town.

She was found dead in her flat in Cape Town amid mystery over what could have caused her death. Daily News