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Re: Zimbabwe hamstrung by its racist legacy

No matter what you say, it IS the poor citizens of Zimbabwe who are suffering more than anyone, the poor BLACK citizens, who had very little before now have NOTHING and are fleeing to South Africa. So even though the land was taken back from white Zimbabweans to give back to Black Zimbabweans, it is the black Zimbabweans who are suffering the most from this.

Even Africans who have fled the turmoil in their own countries are now suffering in Zimbabwe
Just read this article from today.

"Life is unbearable in Zimbabwe," says Mustapha Umar, who was leading the group, as he shared three loaves of bread with his compatriots. "We escaped bullets in Somalia only to face starvation in Zimbabwe."

'It's final farewell to Zim'

09/04/2008 09:58 - (SA)
Beit Bridge - With his wife and two children in tow, Aaron Mashebu crosses from Zimbabwe into South Africa, fearful his homeland might descend into post-election chaos.

Zimbabwe could "snowball into anarchy and at that time it might be difficult to run away, the borders might be closed," the 42-year-old former teacher said.

He was just one of 1 500 Zimbabweans to cross the border post at Beit Bridge on Sunday and while many were simply nipping across to stock up on much-needed basics like sugar, rice and cooking oil, others said "enough is enough".

"My family and I have passed through the furnace of hell in the past two years. I can bear it no more. For me it is final farewell to Zimbabwe until further notice," said Celine Majola, who was without her two children.

"I do not know where I am going in particular in South Africa. But anywhere there is just fine," says Majola, who shunned her husband's advice to stay put and crossed the Limpopo into SA in the hope of finding work.

"I hope to start a new life, look for something to do and send money back home to feed my children. Zimbabwe no longer holds any promising future for me," she said as she adjusted the load on her head.

Zim situation 'frightening'

Eunice Lindiwe, 27, carrying a baby, has just arrived in South Africa from Zimbabwe and hopes to find any menial job to tide her over.

"It is frightening what is happening in Zimbabwe. Now I do not feel safe staying in this country any longer."

Majola, 32, tells how her grocery shop was destroyed in a state-sponsored demolition blitz and how she later got a job as a factory hand only for the company to close down late last year as Zimbabwe's economy imploded.

She said she had decided not to heed her jobless husband's pleas because she did not want to be in Zimbabwe if fighting broke out after the elections.

Others had decided to stay, keeping a careful eye on developments to see if Robert Mugabe's attempts to cling to power following presidential elections claimed by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai turned nasty.

"We are really suffering in Zimbabwe. But there are some of us who have decided to stay and watch the political situation unfold for now," Tracy Tumba, a 29-year-old trader said at the Zimbabwean end of the border crossing.

Tumba wanted Mugabe to go. "We need fresh brains, hands and ideas, but he is stubborn," she said.

'Life is unbearable in Zimbabwe'

She crosses the border posts twice a week to buy scarce basic goods in South Africa, which she resells in Zimbabwe. "That is what I do to keep us alive," she added.

Agricultural production in Mugabe's country had been halved by his controversial land reform programme and Zimbabwe was now forced to import its own staple crop maize from neighbouring countries.

This had helped Zimbabwe chalk up world-record inflation above 100 000% and an unemployment rate of a staggering 80%.

The economic conditions in Zimbabwe were even too much for 60 Somalis, who said they had fled their war-torn country and crossed five countries and arrived in Zimbabwe two months ago.

"Life is unbearable in Zimbabwe," says Mustapha Umar, who was leading the group, as he shared three loaves of bread with his compatriots. "We escaped bullets in Somalia only to face starvation in Zimbabwe."

Many Zimbabweans at the border post were wearing yellow T-shirts emblazoned with the picture of presidential candidate and former finance minister Simba Makoni, but appearances were deceiving.

"I am not wearing a Makoni shirt because I am his supporter. I am for Morgan (Tsvangirai). But the Makoni T-shirts, produced in South Africa, were not allowed to cross the border into Zimbabwe. So they were given to us in large quantities," explained an ice-cream seller who identified himself only as James.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/Zimbabwe/0,,2-11-1662_2301665,00.html

Messages In This Thread

Commonwealth eyes Zimbabwe's woes
Britain Calls For Commonwealth Action
Zimbabwe hamstrung by its racist legacy
Re: Zimbabwe hamstrung by its racist legacy

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