This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-46944923
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Zimbabwe: South Africa refused emergency loan request | Zimbabwe: South Africa refused emergency loan request |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| South Africa has said it rejected a request from Zimbabwe for an emergency loan of $1.2bn (£932m) in December. | South Africa has said it rejected a request from Zimbabwe for an emergency loan of $1.2bn (£932m) in December. |
| Zimbabwe's government had hoped the cash would help stabilise the economy and resolve fuel shortages in the country. | Zimbabwe's government had hoped the cash would help stabilise the economy and resolve fuel shortages in the country. |
| South Africa did not have "that kind of money", a Treasury spokesman said. | South Africa did not have "that kind of money", a Treasury spokesman said. |
| A fuel price hike imposed shortly after the request was rejected has led to violent clashes. The opposition says four of its MPs have been detained. | |
| The government has blamed the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for stoking the violence. | |
| The MDC has denied this and its leader Nelson Chamisa told the BBC that many of its members had been arrested including the four MPs. | |
| Rights groups say at least 12 people have been killed in the crackdown on the protests. | |
| They say many more have been beaten in clashes with security forces but there has been no official confirmation of this. | They say many more have been beaten in clashes with security forces but there has been no official confirmation of this. |
| Zimbabwe's president Emmerson Mnangagwa announced a steep increase in the fuel price last week, sparking angry protests in the capital, Harare, and the south-western city of Bulawayo. | |
| On Twitter, he said he was cutting short his current foreign tour to return home "in light of the economic situation". | On Twitter, he said he was cutting short his current foreign tour to return home "in light of the economic situation". |
| What happened during the protests? | |
| Police have been violently cracking down on the demonstrations against the fuel price rise, with reports of door-to-door searches and use of live ammunition. | |
| The UN has called on the government to halt the "excessive use of force" by police. | The UN has called on the government to halt the "excessive use of force" by police. |
| But the Zimbabwean government on Sunday said the security forces' actions were just "a foretaste of things to come". | But the Zimbabwean government on Sunday said the security forces' actions were just "a foretaste of things to come". |
| News of the violent crackdown emerged despite the country's internet, including social media and messaging apps, being cut off. | News of the violent crackdown emerged despite the country's internet, including social media and messaging apps, being cut off. |
| Speaking to the state-owned Sunday Mail newspaper, a presidential spokesman blamed the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for the violence that has accompanied the protests. | Speaking to the state-owned Sunday Mail newspaper, a presidential spokesman blamed the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for the violence that has accompanied the protests. |
| "The MDC leadership has been consistently pushing out the message that they will use violent street action to overturn the results of [last year's] ballot," George Charamba said. | "The MDC leadership has been consistently pushing out the message that they will use violent street action to overturn the results of [last year's] ballot," George Charamba said. |
| The opposition rejected a court ruling in August that confirmed that President Mnangagwa had beaten Mr Chamisa. | |
| Why has the fuel price increased? | Why has the fuel price increased? |
| The price rise was aimed at tackling shortages caused by an increase in fuel use and "rampant" illegal trading, President Mnangagwa said. | The price rise was aimed at tackling shortages caused by an increase in fuel use and "rampant" illegal trading, President Mnangagwa said. |
| But many Zimbabweans, worn down by years of economic hardship, suddenly found they could not even afford the bus fare to work. | But many Zimbabweans, worn down by years of economic hardship, suddenly found they could not even afford the bus fare to work. |
| The new prices mean Zimbabwe now has the most expensive fuel in the world, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.com | The new prices mean Zimbabwe now has the most expensive fuel in the world, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.com |
| They feel that the president, who has been on a tour of Russia and Asian countries, is failing to live up to his promises following his election last year in disputed polls. | They feel that the president, who has been on a tour of Russia and Asian countries, is failing to live up to his promises following his election last year in disputed polls. |
| He has been struggling to revive the economy, which is experiencing high inflation while wages have stagnated. | He has been struggling to revive the economy, which is experiencing high inflation while wages have stagnated. |
| Access to the internet was intermittent throughout the week, but people found they were unable to use social media and the WhatsApp messaging platform, which has become a common way to share news. | Access to the internet was intermittent throughout the week, but people found they were unable to use social media and the WhatsApp messaging platform, which has become a common way to share news. |