Zimbabwe seems to being in the news all the time. Sometimes I think Big South African Media love to sell papers using Zimbabwe. For most Zimbabwe is a pariah state especially to the rest of the world but it maybe more than that for us. Zimbabwe is a traditional political, economic and social ally of South Africa, probably the most important one in Southern Africa. But you would not think that with all the negative sentiment about Zimbabweans in the media or in work places or townships. As a South African I am sometimes embarrassed by how we treat other Africans. The crazy thing is that other African countries keep this country working, especially Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe provides South Africa with a very educated workforce and millions of Rands in trade. Zimbabwe helped many political exiles during apartheid. Some of our best politicians, business people, lawyers and judges were educated in Zimbabwe. Many Zimbabweans own businesses in South African that provide employment. Look at the Mail and Guardian and Econet International. Many large South African firms are run or managed by Zimbabweans.

So why the ‘beef’? To be honest this is our country and I think some of us are intimidated by the somewhat well spoken English speaking Zimbabweans who seem to be everywhere. I think some of us are insecure about our standing in our own country. I mean we fought and died for this but this is our South Africa and is it going to Zimbabweans? I totally understand that type of thought and I think that is the dominant thought amongst many South Africans.

The question is to what end? How does this type of thought help us? For me I am reminded of the fact that when were in trouble during the dark days of Apartheid, Zimbabwe was there for us. So why can’t we be better hosts today? You know what even for the most cynical and selfish South African, Zimbabweans are providing us with many services that we, the Blacks, can’t as of yet do ourselves. Mugabe will leave or die one day. Either way he will leave and then the Zimbabweans will go home, I’m sure they are here purely for financial reasons and the way we have treated them will push them back home anyway. By then we should have the skills to run, manage and own our firms outside the BEE arena. I think we should use this time to learn as much as we can because the Zimbabwean will leave just like we left and came back home in 1994.

Lets not be small minded and short sighted. Most developed countries in the world were built by immigrants. The most powerful nation, USA, in the world was built by immigrants. Immigrants have their pros and cons and with Zimbabweans they are well educated and they are keeping the seats warm for us when we are ready to take over. Some countries with a similar past like us don’t have the opportunity of an imported skills force that is somewhat inexpensive.
Zimbabwe is a gift that has been marketed as a curse. Yes there are those in the Zimbabwean community that work outside the law or commit crimes. But we have South Africans that work outside the law and that are criminals. We need to get off our high horse and to be honest: those in glass houses should not throw stones.

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