05 January 2022
Shamila Ntokozo Mdlongwa
Zimbabweans behave as if South Africa owes them and are therefore entitled to a part of Mzansi with or without proper documentation.
This may be historically so, since some inhabitants of Zimbabwe mostly from Matabeleland region have roots sprung from South Africa.
The Ndebele nation was born of Mzilikazi ka Matshobana, who in the….. century, fled Tshaka’s persecutions and settled in this country.
But that was then, were there was no formal documentation of individuals and when there was no boundaries to devide the current countries.
The influx of Zimbabweans into South Africa and other parts of the world has, in recent times, been blamed on the melting economic situation locally.
While at one time Zimbabwe’s economy was next to none in the region before and after independence, the situation has continued to nose dive forcing those who seek better living conditions to seek refuge in South Africa and other countries.
South Africa’s economy is considered first world compared to other countries on the continent. This has seen Africans from afar as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Malawi even Europeans flock into the Southern African state seeking greener pastures.
Zimbabweans have been practicing this migration process for years on end. This is because their proximity to the South African borders is within easy reach.
While many have crossed into Mzansi using proper channels, a lot more have managed to secure their way in, found places of abode and are employed illegally.
These are the ones who have caused all this hullabaloo in our recent times.
Like other African States, South Africa is feeling the pinch of the economic melt down and this has affected many livelihoods in Mzansi. The South African economy is failing to absorb the influx of migrants as well as taking care of its own.
The coronavirus pandemic made the situation worse as many businesses shut rendering many jobless both locals and migrants.
There is another aspect of the situation that is not being looked into by those in authority.
Cheap labour.
The South African employer prefers undocumented migrants especially Zimbabweans because they can easily exploit them. Instead of paying them legislated salaries, employers will take advantage of the workers being paperless and pay whatever the employer derives.
Many unregistered migrants are not legible for pension and other pensionable benefits, thus the employer saves in that area.
It is the reason undocumented workers are a preference in South Africa.
When the South African government decided not to renew Zimbabwe Exemption Permits all hell broke loose.
The South Africans were smiling, finally someone has listened, the migrants are being sent packing!
But there are die hard Zimbos such as
Advocate Simba Chitando got busy representing those whose stay had been revoked by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The first instance, there was confusion as there was hope from the court challenge presented by Adv. Chitando. Yet the government of South Africa stood its ground.
ZEPs were not going to be renewed.
With that the South African Minister of Home Affairs Motsoaledi engaged another gear in ensuring that all undocumented migrants returning from Zimbabwe and other SADC countries did not re-enter South Africa. Motsoaledi took it upon himself to set up roadblocks thirty meters apart so as to restrain the passage of illigal travellers.
This set Adv. Simba Chitando coming up with a proposed bill titled “Dr Mostoaledi’s Aviation Bill” towards the resolve by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to not renew the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP).
Last year December the South African Cabinet and the department of Home Affairs along with the Pretoria High Court approved Dr. Motsoaledi’s proposal not to extend the ZEPs but instead give 12 months grace period to ZEP holders to apply for other permits for their continued stay in South Africa.
The first Zimbabwean special permits were issued in 2009 after an influx of Zimbabwean immigrants into SA. The special permits was a way of documenting their stay by the government for five years and were called the Dispensation for Zimbabweans Permits (DZP).
In 2014, the DZPs were extended by three years and called the Zimbabwean Special Permit (ZSP).
In 2017 when the ZSP expired, the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) were introduced and were to expire 31 December 2021.
Zimbabweans’ shortsightedness blinded them in seeing that South Africa has been lenient to them for a long time now.
Their stay in the country was no longer welcome.
Instead of advising his clients and kith accordingly, Adv. Chitando ‘faked’ a statement last December over social titled, “ZanuPf Sandton Discussion: Dr Motsoaledi Aviation Bill.
In the statement Adv. Chitando proposed a bill in response to Dr Mostoaledi’s attitude in addressing the ZEPs issue.
Adv. Chitando stated in his statement that Dr. Motsoaledi has always insulted Zimbabwean government senior members and the President of Zimbabwe on various occasions publicly.
His bill which he took upon himself to write on behalf of ZanuPf without thier knowledge was to levy all South African air traffic passing through Zimbabwe air space only because SA had denied his application to overturn the ZEPs decision made.
His statement has dragged in a lot of Zimbabwean bodies into the mud.
Though these bodies, The Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe is South Africa and the Zanu Pf Sandton Branch in South Africa have written to the South African Republic denouncing the Aviation Bill.
They also stated that they accept the South African Home Affairs constitutional order of not renewing ZEP visas which expired 31 December 2021 and agree with the 12 months grace period given to Zimbabweans living and working in SA to apply for different types of permits.
The Zimbabwean authorities stated that the meeting which was held on the 30th of December last year was between ZEP holders, Zanu-PF Sandton Branch and the Zimbabwean Ambassador to discuss ZEP issues only and not Chitando’s Bill.
Adv. Chitando is not the only Zimbabwean who has publicly opened up about being let down by South Africa.
Rutendo Matinyarare has joined the fray as well. First he threatened a certain Kwena Molekwa on twitter. Matanyire said,
“I have more ways to fight you than screen shots Kwena…..We have teams of people who we work with. My question is did you mean that you want a truce or you want war. Just tell me what you want,” read the tweet by Rutendo Matinyarare.
He further threatened to sue the South African government US$120 Billion war reparations if Adv. Chitando was deported.
This is because Zimbabwe played a role if the liberation war of South Africa from the Aperthied regime.
It is without doubt that Mzansi’s liberation came through the assistance of because of Zimbabwe but that does not mean that Zimbabweans must feel entitled to a part of Mzansi.
The number of Zimbabwean immigrants in Mzansi currently can come back home and assist in turning around the fortunes of the country.
Since most claim they fled the country because of mismanagement of the country’s resources by the ruling party, the migrants cab come back home to vote and overturn the current Zimbabwe government and vote for the change they want inorder to end the political, social and economic ills in the country instead of crowding a foreign nation.
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