Activists successfully closed the Beitbridge border yesterday, with most companies and businesses heeding the call to shutdown.
It is reported that shipping and other cross-border activities at Beitbridge slumped as most people heeded the call to avoid Zimbabwe’s border posts. While in Musina 6 000 protesters were dispersed by police and army after gathering to hold demonstrations, other posts were deserted in the morning with Customs officials handling people that arrived late in the border post on Saturday with little activity on the commercial side of Customs.
A representative of the International Cross Border Associations who organised the demonstration, Dennis Juru said they were happy with the response from Zimbabweans.
“We are happy, South African shipping companies heeded our call, there were no buses from South Africa or Harare and limited activity in the commercial Customs offices of both countries,” said Juru.
He said police in South Africa dispersed more than 6 000 protesters in Musina but they later regrouped and held meetings to re-strategise their demonstrations.
Juru said the protests are to press the Zimbabwean government to revoke its recently introduced Statutory Instrument 64/2016 restricting importation of 121 types of goods deemed available in Zimbabwe.
He said SI 64 had pushed Zimbabweans deeper into poverty since most survived on buying and selling following the closure of industries in Zimbabwe.
“These disruptions will be intermittent, we will continue today and South Africans are ready to help us,” said Juru.
“We are having Tajamuka, Zimbabwe Exiles Forum, Africa Diaspora Workers Network and Zimbabwe Communist Group working in solidarity with us,” he said.
All shipping houses on the South African side of the border were closed with no haulage truck business being processed for Zimbabwe.
Shipping agents on the Zimbabwean side had skeletal staff as most people stayed at home.
There was a hive of activity for about two hours in the morning when thousands of pilgrimages from the Zionist Church of Christ (ZCC) returning from church meetings in Zimbabwe swarmed the border post.
Soon after their departure there was very little activity inside the border.
“There are very few people travelling, there is low movement,” a Zimbabwean immigration officer said.
“We briefly got busy when pilgrims from ZCC arrived but the border went quiet again,” added the officer.
Armed police and other security agents from both South Africa patrolled the old bridge linking the two countries where a handful of pedestrians moved between the two borders.
A transport broker at Beitbridge said most haulage truck operators were keen to have their vehicles leave the South African side of Beitbridge to Zimbabwe.
“They were afraid that the demonstration might be ugly and property destroyed,” said the transport broker.-Newsday
27 Replies to “BEITBRIDGE FIRES: Activists Close Border, Business Slumps”
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Lobengula started tribalism not Mugabe.Remember the ndebele were and are still lazy.thy used to survive thru raiding shonas and its him lobengula who sold our country thru his ignorance and greedness
Its Mugabe and his Shonas in Mozambique who started all the evil by reinventing the country’s history and that of the struggle. Today our children are being taught obviously glaring lies to suit the egos of one so-called majority tribe. There was no tribalism or obvious animosity between Mthwakazi and Shonas in Rhodesia. When Shonas decided to follow the gospel according to Mugabe, all hell broke loose. Even the old nationalists; when they decided on the name “Zimbabwe”, never in their wildest dreans did they know or think that the Shonas and their Mugabe would appropriate it to mean or imply that our then beloved Rhodesia was a Shona entity and everyone else to hell with them. They just looked at the post Khoisan history and saw the connection with Mapungumbwe, the Venda, Shangans in SA and decided this linked us Africans across the borders. But becsuse of Shona tribalism and arrogance, we now have get back to the drawing board and revisit that name “Zimbabwe”. It has gone too much into Shona heads. If we cant find an appropriate Khoisan name; rather we resort back to the name Rhodesia. It was neutral enough for the black population. The Shonas of those days had humility and were a humble people who were easy to live with and relate to. Not now!!
Its Mugabe and his Shonas in Mozambique who started all the evil by reinventing the country’s history and that of the struggle. Today our children are being taught obviously glaring lies to suit the egos of one so-called majority tribe. There was no tribalism or obvious animosity between Mthwakazi and Shonas in Rhodesia. When Shonas decided to follow the gospel according to Mugabe, all hell broke loose. Even the old nationalists; when they decided on the name “Zimbabwe”, never in their wildest dreans did they know or think that the Shonas and their Mugabe would appropriate it to mean or imply that our then beloved Rhodesia was a Shona entity and everyone else to hell with them. They just looked at the post Khoisan history and saw the connection with Mapungumbwe, the Venda, Shangans in SA and decided this linked us Africans across the borders. But becsuse of Shona tribalism and arrogance, we now have get back to the drawing board and revisit that name “Zimbabwe”. It has gone too much into Shona heads. If we cant find an appropriate Khoisan name; rather we resort back to the name Rhodesia. It was neutral enough for the black population. The Shonas of those days had humility and were a humble people who were easy to live with and relate to. Not now!!
Personally I miss the peace, wealth, prosperity, education, and opportunities for our children when this beautiful country was Rhodesia – and I’m black Shona!
Personally I miss the peace, wealth, prosperity, education, and opportunities for our children when this beautiful country was Rhodesia – and I’m black Shona!
Voetsek!!
Voetsek!!
We have to investigate a suitable neutral and all embracing name by consulting the Khoisan elders in Mthwakazi provinces, Botswana; South Africa and Namibia. To hell with any names from the Bantu settler community. Whites especially should just forget!!!
We have to investigate a suitable neutral and all embracing name by consulting the Khoisan elders in Mthwakazi provinces, Botswana; South Africa and Namibia. To hell with any names from the Bantu settler community. Whites especially should just forget!!!
Your mama stinky pussy
Your mama stinky pussy
And what name do you propose we use for the new liberated country?, How about “SANDHESIA” or even “SANALAND”.
And what name do you propose we use for the new liberated country?, How about “SANDHESIA” or even “SANALAND”.
I thought during holidays its brisk business at the boarder. SA has no same holiday as Zim. Yet no cargo was cleared from that end. What are you talking about??.
I thought during holidays its brisk business at the boarder. SA has no same holiday as Zim. Yet no cargo was cleared from that end. What are you talking about??.
To hell with Shona nonsense. Get rid if that Shona Gukurahundi name “ZIMBABWE”.
This is not a Shona country but a country of the San. SHONAS go back home to central Africa.
We dont want to gear Gukurahundi in Beitbridge!!
To hell with Shona nonsense. Get rid if that Shona Gukurahundi name “ZIMBABWE”.
This is not a Shona country but a country of the San. SHONAS go back home to central Africa.
We dont want to gear Gukurahundi in Beitbridge!!
Hogwash as usual from this paper. How can obscure organisations cause a shut down in SA as a responce to Zimbabwean activists? The slump was due to other reasons, probably the long holiday in Zim.
Hogwash as usual from this paper. How can obscure organisations cause a shut down in SA as a responce to Zimbabwean activists? The slump was due to other reasons, probably the long holiday in Zim.
Shona Gukurahundi language stinking everywhere!
Shona Gukurahundi language stinking everywhere!
Voetsek. Shona Gukurahundi.
Kamutemoko kakaiswa with the hope yekuurayisa povo nge nzara. Takamirira kuona ucharwadziwa ngekamutemoko.
Chinondishamisa ngechekuti hurumende yeZimbabwe inoziva matorero evakaita nyika kubva kumangezi, despite mitemo yekuomesera munhu mutema. Asi it hides its head in the sand when confronted with similar challenges seyakaonekwa ngemangezi muRhodesia.
Rambai mwakaisa misoro mujecha. Musee uchambinda ngesure yemwakamise mudenga!!!
A slump in business conveys the desired message!
SADC haimiriri zvakadaro
Shamwari, ungati where is SADC Dept of Trade, ivo vatori busy kutsune gon*o so to speak! Ndiani nyika ichade kuite business neZimbabwe within the region? Iko zvino SADC itori kuti “thauya thega.”
Kamutemoko kakaiswa with the hope yekuurayisa povo nge nzara. Takamirira kuona ucharwadziwa ngekamutemoko.
Chinondishamisa ngechekuti hurumende yeZimbabwe inoziva matorero evakaita nyika kubva kumangezi, despite mitemo yekuomesera munhu mutema. Asi it hides its head in the sand when confronted with similar challenges seyakaonekwa ngemangezi muRhodesia.
Rambai mwakaisa misoro mujecha. Musee uchambinda ngesure yemwakamise mudenga!!!
Where is the department of Trade in SADC that should be saying something what a useless organisation it is or even the Chair of SADC trying to bring these people to the table to talk
Where is the department of Trade in SADC that should be saying something what a useless organisation it is or even the Chair of SADC trying to bring these people to the table to talk