A grouping within the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) has called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to urgently initiate what it calls a high-level diplomatic engagement to ameliorate the crisis faced by the country’s nationals in neighbouring South Africa.
This follows rising cases of violence, intimidation, and threats directed at foreign nationals by vigilante groups in the neighbouring country.
The groups accuse foreigners, Zimbabweans included, of, among other things, taking away economic and job opportunities they claim are a preserve of South Africans.
According to statistics, between four and six million Zimbabweans now live and work in South Africa, among other millions from other African countries.
This, South Africans argue, has resulted in a scramble for “scarce job opportunities”.
However, representatives of foreign nationals argue that the immigrants have mostly been seeking menial job opportunities that locals have continued to shun as they prefer white collar jobs with high salary rewards and better working conditions.
ZNLWVA chairman, Andreas Mathibela said there was need for government to now tackle the nationals’ crisis head on.
“The government of Zimbabwe must urgently engage the South African government through direct presidential, ministerial, and diplomatic channels,” Mathibela said.
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“This engagement must move beyond routine diplomatic language and focus on concrete mechanisms for the protection of Zimbabwean nationals living in South Africa.”
He added: “(At the proposed) Immediate high-level diplomatic engagement, Zimbabwe must request that South Africa provides stronger protection of foreign nationals by South African security agencies.
“There must also be swift prosecution of perpetrators of xenophobic violence as this serves as a deterrent measure against all would-be similar proponents of xenophobia.”
The war veterans boss argued that it was within the Zimbabwean government’s interests to act as a matter of urgency as it was its own nationals who were being persecuted while having fled an economic crisis back home.
“At the same time, we believe that the government of Zimbabwe must also confront this matter with honesty, seriousness, and strategic maturity,” Mathibela said.
“The continued migration of large numbers of Zimbabweans into neighbouring countries is itself a reflection of domestic socio-economic challenges which require urgent national attention.
“Sustainable solutions cannot rely solely on diplomacy abroad while conditions at home continue to push citizens into economic migration.”
The ZNLWVA chief said the latest crisis presents a daunting task to the Zimbabwean government of re-building the country’s economy so that it creates job opportunities for its people.
“Ultimately, the long-term solution lies in rebuilding economic confidence within Zimbabwe itself,” Mathibela said.
“Citizens do not willingly leave their homeland in large numbers unless compelled by economic necessity.”
