Civil society engineering democracy: The case of Zimbabwean diaspora civil society organizations based in South Africa.

This study adds to the growing concerns of the role in democratization by civil society. It zeroes in specifically to look at civil society in the Diaspora or in exile. The short research focuses on Zimbabwe pro-democracy CSOs based in the Diaspora in particular South Africa with a view of deepening understanding of causes of disgruntlement within the prodemocracy movement -made of political parties and Civic organizations-. Their vulnerability in South Africa which does not see the need for Zimbabweans to flee their country and the possibility to lobby and advocate for Zimbabweans to be protected by the South African government and laws and for the International community to playa more prominent role in solving the Zimbabwe governance crisis. Here field research work was taken on in South Africa for a month -July to August- particular attention was given to a network of 20 civil society organizations calling them-selves the Zimbabwe DiasporaForum (ZDF).