In South Africa's desperate attempt to clean out the country of unsightly Zimbabwean refugees in time for the World Cup, it has invited Zimbabwe’s co-Ministers of Home Affairs to address the Zimbabweans and urge them to go home.

The only problem is that it is not that the Zimbabweans do not want to go home; the conditions that they ran away from have not changed, both for political and economic refugees, and even those who left just because they wanted peaceful lives.

He said the Zimbabwean inclusive government was even ready to drop charges against political activists and specified business people, who are currently living outside the country, according to Zimoline .

The problem however is that the Ministers make it sound as if it is their generosity to drop the charges against specified businessmen and accused politicians, when in fact some of the charges against them were malicious. They should never have been charged.

With the government refusing to reform the justice system and the security sector how does one know that the same charges that have been dropped today will not be reinstated again at a politically convenient time.

While Mohadi might say it is time to rebuild our nation and urge them to come home, the environment at home, where the Attorney General is a political animal who can wake up any time and start implementing directives from politicians, does not give anyone peace of mind.

It would be foolhardy to leave the peace and security of exile to go and take chances with a regime that is clearly not repentant, clearly believes in violence as a way of controlling the population, and does not believe in the rule of law.

Even as we speak political opponents are being harassed, youth militia are being mobilised, military bases are being set up in villages and Movement for Democratic Change and civic meetings are being disrupted and attendees beaten up.

There is no rule of law in the business operations at Chiadzwa where the same military cabal and individuals connected with the ruling clique are being allowed to loot diamonds right under the noses of the authorities.

So why should any businessman go there to create wealth which can be taken away again at gunpoint by state agents.

Farmers are being driven from their farms at the end of a barrel of a gun held by an ex-combatant who knows that this is the only way for him to get free land, and the state is not intervening; so why should any businessman have confidence to leave the relative comfort of his exile to go to Zimbabwe.

Although Mutsekwa might say the unity government is working to improve the country’s economy and that there are signs of recovery, as long as there is no clear policy shift which everyone can see is irreversible, he should not expect Zimbabweans to give the the relative comfort of their exile.

But by far the most interesting address was by the South African Correctional Services Minister Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula who urged Zimbabwe’s three governing parties to resolve political differences which are holding back their coalition government in order to attract back multitudes of Zimbabweans who have fled their home country.

She said: “My appeal to you Zimbabweans, please engage and dialogue in order to resolve your differences. Always remember that South Africa will never be your home, your home is in Zimbabwe, so resolve your problems and go back to your home.”

The woman is a cabinet minister and is well aware that dialogue has been going on for more than a year, but but Robert Mugabe's Zanu (PF), the election losers, are refusing to move even an inch, relying on their control of the military, while the MDC has almost compromised itself out of any significant power.

Mutsekwa, himself of the MDC, as far back as November last year said he had ordered the Police to arrest notorious murderer Joseph Mwale, but up to now nothing has happened, despite that Mwale's whereabouts are well-known.

South Africa was given a task to mediate and facilitate this dialogue, instead she has sided with Robert Mugabe, so she must live with the consequences, until Zuma decides to show his manhood in dealing with Mugabe instead of in the bedroom.

It is the government itself that has to show it has changed before exiles can be attracted back. They voted with their own feet; and they can still vote with their feet when the situation presents itself as ripe for their vote. Comment Is Free At editor(at)changezimbabwe.com