Southern discomfort
Wednesday, May 21st, 2008
If you were to go into a tourist shop in one of South Africa’s cities, often you may if you wish practise your French. Many of those working there are from Gabon, Senegal or the Congo, and are French speakers. The rainbow nation has attracted immigrants from all over Africa and like migrants frequently are, they are often very industrious.
However their numbers are insignificant compared with the human avalanche from the economic horrors of Zimbabwe. So an employment powder keg has begun to explode, with tragic consequences for some of the incomers.
Years ago we suggested that the South African government should take the strongest possible action against the destructive policies being pursued north of its border. We were told that this would greatly damage Zimbabwe’s citizens. Well we now know what a catastrophic misjudgement this was.
Being Opposition leader in South Africa, so overwhelmingly dominated by the ANC, is a thankless task. My friend Tony Leon did so energetically for many years, and constantly criticised the quiet diplomacy over Zimbabwe which yielded so little. He is in London at the moment, as the Opposition foreign affairs spokesman, and talks about Zimbabwe with real passion.
The unwillingness of some Southern African leaders to take on Robert Mugabe has now unleashed the sort of anger and xenophobia which we are now seeing. It must be absolutely terrifying for those poor Zimbabweans who have taken huge personal risks to cross the border. Of course they do not wish to be there, and they know that there is real antagonism towards them, given the high levels of unemployment. Locals also blame outsiders for criminal activity.
There is no country in the world whose success is more cherished then South Africa. Individuals like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu are iconic figures of the Twentieth Century.
The violence being meted out inside Zimbabwe against those who oppose Robert Mugabe is well documented. For different reasons that poison has spilled southwards.
It is enough to make you weep.