The only thing worth celebrating is that the permits will be extended until Dec 2017. The reality of the matter is that its just a 3 year notice to leave SA. Where to is the big question. In his meandering statement Gigaba says the Zimbabwean economy and politics are gradually improving with the help of the SA government and so Zimbabweans must go back home. He may be forgiven because he is not here in Zimbabwe but listened to what Mohadi told him. The sad reality is that any average person or politician in this case can tell that the Zimbabwean political and economic situation is gradually declining not improving. Quite certain at this rate and conditions come 2017 the situation will be far worse than it was in even in 2010 when the special dispensation was rolled out. If the SA government indeed thinks that the current wrangles within ZANU PF are pointing towards a peaceful political solution that will pave way for a peaceful election in 2018 then their foreign policy especially on the Zimbabwean case needs to be revisited. If indeed in their analysis they can sit back and dream of a Zimbabwean economy that will so drastically improve in the next 40 months and be able to absorb back the millions of Zimbabweans they are crying about, they can only dream on. As Gigaba says that the initial permits were given to ease pressure of undocumented Zimbabweans at that time, the unfortunate reality is that come 2017 the numbers are certainly bound to have doubled based on the current trend the country is going through. Certainly, the honeymoon was bound to come to an end but for it to end it can only end well. A precedence has been set and going by it 2017 is still also not a ripe a time as was 2010 nor 2014 for Zimbabwe to be declared a safe economic and political haven for its immigrants to be sent back home. The least that the SA government could have done is to extend the permits to a speculative time after the 2018 elections and said a determination will be made at that time not this blanket closure to a case they opened after careful consideration of all its circumstances which have not improved nor show signs of them improving so drastically by 2017. The long and short of it is that the SA government has just declared an immigration war against hungry poor Zimbabweans come January 2018.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 20:14:49 +0000
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