OUR warnings to South Africa about Zimbabwe’s economic and political crisis were ignored.
So say Zimbabwe labour unions, civic society groups and human rights activists.
And now this has resulted in thousands of Zimbabweans flocking into neighbouring South Africa and Botswana in search of jobs and better lives.
More than 89,000 illegal immigrants have already been arrested or deported.
“We have been talking about these issues as labour, as human rights activists that SADC and AU have to take a progressive and practical position on Zimbabwe crisis, we have got a crisis. SADC has to resolve this crisis before it degenerates and now it has degenerated. So SADC, South Africa and other Africa countries have to agree that Zimbabwe has got crisis,” said Peter Mutasa, former president Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.
Peter adds that this is a regional humanitarian crisis and deportation is not a solution.
“This problem has now caused humanitarian crisis it is not enough for South Africans to just push Zimbabweans back where they cannot get livelihoods and to where they can starve, 61 percent in here are food insecure so all those people are looking for food,” said Peter
Political analysts say illegal immigrants flocking into South Africa is confirmation that the Emmerson Mnangagwa government has failed.
“That’s a symptomatic of the failure to govern ZanuPF government in Zimbabwe, it has been failing to provide Zimbabweans with jobs. Jobs are basic needs of Zimbabweans, so that they can earn their legitimate lives. There no jobs in Zimbabwe this is why you are witnessing colonies of Zimbabweans crossing the Limpopo,” said political analyst, Wurayayi Zembe.
The Zimbabwe government has remained mum over this latest mass exodus of citizens.
Source – eNCA
