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BY DR MASIMBA MAVAZA.
-Zimbabwe and South Africa are joined to the core not just by a common geographic border but by a myriad of complex socio-economic interests that span over a century. It is in this light that the current predicament of Zimbabwean immigrants in SA must be viewed.
The sight of our Zimbabwean comrades hunted like wild animals. Paraded like thieves hurts to the bone. The mothers whose crime is to go to South Africa to look after their families paraded on social media and televisions like thieves.
Being used by lazy politicians as excuses for the failed policies and laziness of of the South African government.
If only we can do tit for tat to these neighbours who think that they are special.
It will be very difficult and almost impossible for Zimbabwe government to do tit for tat procedures with SOuth Africa,our economy is a big south african supermarket. It has seen years of cruel battering from sanctions and looting. We can’t close beitbridge. Or deport the South African ambassador. These moves will have serious repercussions on our people .
We have bilateral trade agreements with SA .South African under African boarders was under Zimbabwe but when the whites came, the whites separated us .currently Zimbabwe and South Africa are have bilateral trade agreements which date back to the days of Rhodesia .
40% of our imports at the moment come from SA and 75 % of our exports are to SA .
What can we do ? At the moment nothing we can just use diplomacy through useless talk shops like SADC were we will use respect to those battering and killing our people .
Our own markets are not fully developed and not digitised.
We have mbare musika a great market but we can go a long way in developing it and making it a global market .the queen of England bought her vegetables at mbare musika in 1992, this will be a selling point. Our herbal scientists at Mbare Musika offered to give Prince Charles some muti to sort out his marital problems. That again is our selling point.
Plainly put, respective fortunes of countries flactuate. The relationship between the countries is a constant that we must cherish. Our government has to remind its South African counterparts of this sobering reality. The face of fortune will once again smile on Zimbabwe with its back on SA as has happened in history. That must not degrade, diminish or in anyway affect the respect we must have of each other
Both governments must accept that there are many questions where each has its own answer to. However we must have one common answer that we share: this is that when we disagree we do so with civility, preserving our
common history and valuing our shared hopes.
The two governments must recognise our mutual dependency.
One of the challenges that we face is to convince South Africans that South Africa is in Africa: that Europeans have long realised that Europe can only prosper when all Europe is prosperous. So must our government convince South Africa that it cannonly prosper when we all prosper
one of the most naive acts by Western countries in morden times has been to hoard COVID-19 vacines, thinking that they will watwch less fortunate Africa die of the covid pandemic. They have rudely discovered that none are safe until we all are. The thing mutates into new strains and come back for all of us. So are the behaviours of regional challenges. They need collaborative approaches.
-After all during colonial times Zimbabwe was an economic tributory state of SA, replenishing its industry mechinary with Zimbabwean natural resources. Later there was more balance. All this is symbolised by the Bulawayo-Johannesburg railway line which extended to Harere spaning across the Great Dyke.
Then there is inhuman treatment of Zimbabwean immigrants in SA and the babrbaric murder they are subjected to by self-serving mobs.
That is unfortunate
Most of these Zimbabweans are law abiding people.
-Our government has to work with the SA government to emphasise that even with the crudest criminal they must forfeit certain liberties but must retain residual and inalienable rights.
When criminal suspects are arrested for known crime they give up their liberty for detention. They must abide by the hearing and conclusion of their trials.
However, certain rights are inalienable and are residual. These include the right to be treated with dignity, the right not to be abused, the right not to be tortured, the right not to be summarily tried and excuted (the right to a fair trial): the right not to be subjected to mob justice.
The dehuminising treatment of the Zimbabweans dehuminises the South Africans in equal measure.
South Africa must be subjected to the practice of international norms and standards. These include the protection of other nationalities who are within their borders. They include ensuring that those who are suspected of commiting crimes are brought to justice via constitutionally appointment structures. Citizens of other countries cannot be used for political trade-offs with local people who are discontent.
In practical terms the two countries must form a Joint Committee to draw up a strategy and an action plan for dealing with the treatment of Zimbabwean immigrants in SA.
It hurts to see fellow Zimbabweans treated like thugs. Despite their decency Zimbabweans are humiliated raped by the police who are supposed to protect them. Some South African Police officers demand bribes Our people are really suffering.
Zimbabwean lorry drivers are being killed sodomised amputated just because they are Zimbabweans.
South Africans have a very short memory. Zimbabwe endured serious aggression from South Africa. Cde Mugabe delayed land redistribution to avoid frightening the Boer next door.
Why do South Africans think they are very special than the Rest of Africa.
We urge our government to stand up and fight for its citizens. We have the very equal rights to be in South Africa.
When Zimbabwe gets better we will see how South Africa will behave.
I pray that God keeps me until the day Zimbabwe becomes economically viable and I will spread my table at a higher place facing South Africa.
With the way ED is going we will be back to normal in no time. Zimbabwe is recovering very fast. All this will come to pass.