Xenophobia: SA must rethink stance on Africans

15 Sep, 2019 - 00:09 0 Views
Xenophobia: SA must rethink stance on Africans

The Sunday Mail

Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau

Xenophobia-motivated attacks on foreign citizens by South Africans have become an annual occurrence, but the orgy has potential to cost the country billions in lost trade opportunities.

The violence has claimed lives of many foreigners, most of who contribute meaningfully to the growth of South Africa’s economy to become a powerhouse.

In some cases foreign businesses have been looted or burnt by mobs in a fight for a space, among other issues.

The worst affected are Somalians, Nigerians, Pakistanis, Zambians, Malawians, citizens of DRC, Lesotho, Swaziland, Burundi and Zimbabwe.

International cooperation  and labour migration are some of the world’s oldest norms.

Around 1940 the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association (WNLA), popularly Wenela, was set up by the gold mines in South Africa as a recruiting agency for migrant workers.

Eventually, it became a large organisation with its own depots, buses and aeroplanes. It spread over the whole of Southern Africa, in South Africa, Basutoland, Swaziland, South West Africa, Bechuanaland, Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, Angola, Mozambique, up to the Belgian Congo and Tanganyika.

The initiative saw many African migrants setting base south of the Limpopo River and contributed a lot in making South Africa an economic powerhouse.

Lately, there has been talk of enhancing free trade initiatives in Africa that would benefit many countries, including South Africa.

However, that would remain a pipe dream considering that already many countries in SADC have started looking at other seaports in Mozambique, Namibia and Tanzania as alternatives because of the unresolved issues in South Africa.

Sunday Mail Business understands South Africa has a large market share in retail shops investments in other SADC countries.

Zimbabwe is believed to be South Africa’s biggest trade partner in SADC.

In 2018, South Africa exported goods worth over US$1 billion to Zimbabwe via Beitbridge alone and considering that there are many alternative points to get to the two countries, and some people smuggle things across the border, the figures could be higher.

According to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), US$307 million  was collected from imports originating from South Africa last year.

The value of imports from South Africa via Beitbridge Border  in 2018 was Us$2,5 billion , while  Zimbabwe exported goods worth Us$1, 7 billion.

Zimra’s head of communication Mr Francis Chimanda said: “The most products imported from South Africa via Beitbridge Border Post include basic commodities/groceries and mining consumables.

“In terms of exports, we process mainly chrome concentrate, nickel ores, petalite, and unmanufactured flue cured tobacco and fresh produce.

“Last year, we handled the following bills of entries on commercial goods: (imports) 78 747 and (exports to RSA 32 854). In addition, we process about 2 043   vehicle imports  from South Africa via Beitbridge Border Post monthly.”

He said between January and July, Zimra processed 12 601 vehicle imports from the neighbouring country, realising US$3,4 million and  RTGS1,6 million  in revenue respectively.

Mr Chimanda said 75 905 commercial trucks enter from South Africa, and 31 923 passed through to South Africa yearly.

He said at year-end 2018 about US$554 947,76 in levies was collected on transit cargo passing through Zimbabwe to either South Africa or countries north of the Zambezi River.

“On average we process 5 676 trucks at Beitbridge, which come from South Africa per month,” said Mr Chimanda.

Besides commercial cargo, Zimbabwe has exported a lot of labour to South Africa and its citizens are working tirelessly to develop the neighbouring country’s economy and infrastructure development.

Towards the FIFA 2010 World Cup, when Mzansi was lagging behind on civil works to host the soccer jamboree, they imported a labour force of over 300 000 under the Dispensation of Zimbabweans Project (DZP) to help them accomplish their projects.

However, after the successful World Cup, these Zimbabweans have turned villains and are accused of suffocating the local job market.

A number of Zimbabweans, skilled or semi-skilled continue dying in South Africa, where they are working hard to build that country’s economy and enhance skills exchange and development.

Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Pretoria David Hamadziripi  says on average remains of 350 and 33 Zimbabweans are repatriated through the Johannesburg and Cape Town consulates, respectively,  for burial home monthly.

“Most undertakers do not come back to the Consulate to get the final repatriation letter, which usually indicate the place for burial. However, most bodies are repatriated for burial in Masvingo, Harare, Matabeleland South, Midlands and Manicaland provinces.

“The major cause of deaths are murder (gunshots and multiple stabs), HIV and AIDS, shack fires, cardiac arrest, Tuberculosis, pneumonia and road accidents.

“A total of 2522 and 235 bodies were repatriated via our Johannesburg and Capet Town consulate respectively,” said Mr Hamadziripi.

He said through the consulate, they were in the process of engaging both the Zimbabwean Students at tertiary institutions and professionals working in the neighbouring country to come up with a data base on their skills and expertise.

Advocate Gabriel Shumba of Zimbabwe Exiles Forum in South Africa said; “When you have other countries reciprocating, the economic consequences will not only be dire for South Africa, but the whole African block.  It is a terrible indictment of our inability to unite as a proudly African citizenry that the situation has now assumed these proportions. It is also extremely ironic that this disunity is fuelled by political, business and other opportunists in RSA, a country that depended so much on African sisterhood and solidarity to be where it is today, both in terms of construction and in respect of the freedom that is enjoyed today. The World Economic Forum was held in this toxic environment, which is a reflection of the fact that we have a long way to go. Xenophobia negatively affects not only the most vulnerable, but also the business and skills that have been invested in South Africa”.

He said some of the notable skills by Zimbabweans in South Africa had been invested in mining, media, agriculture and teaching, among others. It would be ruinous not to reign in these malcontents.

“The systematic nature that this ugly beast is assuming may arguably be called a crime against humanity and the sooner regional and international formations act the better.  There is clear impunity in South Africa and this leads to further wanton destruction of property and people’s lives,” said Adv Shumba.

The orgy of violence also flies in the face of Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha, who recently met with three Zimbabwean Ministers of state for provincial affairs to strengthen trade ties. He told journalists recently that partnerships with neighbouring Zimbabwe are important to ensure that the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone is successful.

He says Limpopo province needs water and requires skills to be utilised through the partnership with Zimbabwe.

“We do not have water, Zimbabwe has plenty of water. In terms of academic institutions more especially in mining, Zimbabwe is far more advanced than Limpopo. In Matabeleland, they have got an institution in mining which is far more advanced. They produce a lot of engineers that are working here in South Africa.

“I think those are the kind of things that we will be learning from them. We will be benefiting from this relationship with Zimbabwe,” said Mr Mathabatha.

The port town of Musina’s economy has been growing due to the heightened cross border activities between Zimbabwe and South Africa.  In 2016, Musina Businessmen feeling the heat marched to block Beitbridge Border Post protesting the implementation of Statutory instrument 64, which tightened the importation of goods from south of the Limpopo River to Zimbabwe.

Already, some car dealership on the South African border, those dealing with pre-owned cars have started closing shops because of low business from Zimbabwe with more people now opting to buy vehicles from Tanzania, where they are relatively cheaper and are treated with respect.

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