Zimbabwe finally allows food aid to enter country

A huge shipment of food donated by The South African Council of Churches (SACC) to help victims of operation Murambatsvina were finally cleared by Zimbabwean authorities on Friday, a month after the supplies were collected and packed. Speaking for the churches, Ron Steele confirmed the final duty-free permits had been granted and the trucks would soon be leaving Johannesburg for Zimbabwe. Blankets that were released from a bonded warehouse in Harare earlier last week are already being distributed by Christian Care, the local NGO working with the SACC and Zimbabwe's Council of Churches. The month delay was caused by the Zimbabwe government which first demanded certificates showing the maize was not genetically modified, then insisted on charging duty on the donated goods. The SACC are meeting today to decide how they can give further aid to Zimbabwe. Source: ZW News