Why fixing Zimbabwe will be good for South Africa
Posted by ZDN on July 14, 2009
In his first state of the nation address this week, South Africa’s newly elected state president, Jacob Zuma, said that as chairperson of SADC and facilitator of the global political agreement, “we will participate in promoting inclusive government until free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe.
“The plight of the Zimbabwean people has had a negative impact on the SADC region, especially South Africa. We call upon all peace-loving countries in the world to support the inclusive government to achieve economic recovery,” he said.
The implications of this statement were clear – previous elections were not seen as free and fair and the shorter the life of the inclusive government the better. President Zuma signaled strongly that until the electoral situation has been resolved there will be no rescue package.
Many diplomats have commented that the support needed for the reconstruction of the country will not materialize until President Robert Mugabe has gone. It is believed that until that time, the goodwill money that does enter Zimbabwe will continue to go to nongovernmental institutions rather than to the state and it is specifically designed to relieve the humanitarian crisis rather than get the economy up and running.
The South African government is clearly in no doubt regarding the importance of Zimbabwe and its role in the SADC region. Without a properly functioning economy in Zimbabwe the whole region could be negatively affected through interrupted trading, currency inequalities and lack of solid infrastructure across the entire trading bloc.
In addition, while the Zimbabwe economy continues to decline – or free fall in most instances – desperate Zimbabweans are entering South Africa in their hundreds of thousands in order to find work, earn money and support themselves and their families.
Earlier in 2008, the influx of so called “foreigners” had a major impact on some local South Africans who reacted with a violence born out of fear and poverty. A stable Zimbabwe will encourage Zimbabweans to return to their country and assist in the rebuilding of what was once regarded as the “market garden of Africa” – a country of plenty with a strong and vibrant economy.
South Africa has more than enough of its own local challenges which have been well documented; negative growth rate for the first time since majority rule, high levels of unemployment that are increasing now due to the global economic meltdown, high levels of crime which are not abating as fast as government has promised and the citizens have demanded. Further influxes of Zimbabwean refugees will not help this situation, as many have commented.
A stable region is essential to the well being of all of the countries in the SADC region and Zimbabwe has a pivotal role in this area. It is clear from the South African president’s comments that South Africa will continue to play a strong role in Zimbabwe’s present and future as its citizens can be in no doubt that their own futures will be much improved as conditions in Zimbabwe improve.
In the same speech earlier this week, President Zuma vowed, “Working with Africa and the rest of the world, we will pursue African advancement and enhanced international co-operation. We will ensure sustainable resource management and use.” South Africa’s own success is at the heart of this vow and can only be assured by the success of the Zimbabwe economy along with evidence of the Zimbabwean government’s support of its own people.
The destruction of Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe is symbolised by Operation Murambatsvina, which began on May 25 (Africa Day) in 2005. Virtually all the township homes and informal sector business singled out for demolition by Mugabe’s bulldozers – including this once thriving area of Mbare township in Harare – belonged to people who voted for the opposition MDC in the previous elections.
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07-27-2009
9:22 am
Peter Maghlangu
South Africa’s policy was and still is symptomatic of cold war 1960′s type thinking. There are in the vacinity of 4.5 million Zimbabweans in South Africa who are taking away jobs from South African. The pity is that idiology is more important to the ANC than the high unemployment of ordinary South Africans. Proof of the pudding is in the eating. South Africa suffers from the very same problem afflicting the rest of Africa – non delivery. Millions more jobs would have been available to South Africans IF their government used common sense and stopped Mugabe’s thuggery. Sadly they are all tainted with the same brush. It not about people’s welfare, it’s all about power and patronism. Africa’s leadership simply doesn’t care about the poverty they inflict on their people. Poverty is a control mechanism which they use with devastating effect.
09-21-2009
7:13 pm
godobedza takalani happy
It is very much painful what Zimbabweans are facing. For its economy is slowing down, it has become critical for Zimbabweans to escape in search of peace (in South Africa).
However they are welcome in SA, it is a challenge to SA as the country didn’t budget for someone from outside. Through SA’s commitment to human rights and democracy to African states it has become a bind to SA to achieve such goals. It is true that SA is totally against Xenophobia attacks that happened last year on 2008.