Thousands of Zimbabweans employed and running companies in
neighbouring countries could find the going tough after the countries started
promulgating laws that put their nationals first in terms of business opportunities
and employment.
In 2019, data from Statistics South Africa and the United
Nations showed that the number of migrants from Zimbabwe living in South Africa
was about one million, while thousands are based in Botswana.
Botswana has already passed a law which comes into effect
tomorrow where a number of business sectors have been reserved for locals only.
According to the country’s Industrial Development Act,
manufacturing enterprises which shall be reserved for citizens include; bread
and confectionery, ice making, meat processing, peanut butter, purification and
bottling of water, traditional sour milk and sorghum.
Other manufacturing industries that would be reserved for
Botswana citizens are bricks, burglar bars, gates and windows, candles, fencing
material excluding gum poles, floor polishing, packaging, protective clothing,
roof trusses, school furniture, school uniforms, screen printing and
embroidery, signage, including electronic signage, traditional craft and
traditional leather products.
Further, according to the Act businesses registration
certificates shall be reserved for citizens or for companies wholly owned by
citizens in the following sectors; agents, auctioneers, car wash, cellphone
shops, cleaning services, curio shops, dry clean depots, florist, general
dealers, general hire services, imported pre-owned motor dealer, internet café
and copy shops and laundromat business. The bulk of these businesses used to
house Zimbabweans, sources in Botswana said, without giving any figures.
In South Africa, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has hinted
that the country must consider amending its labour market policies to favour
unemployed South Africans.
“The new economy that we are getting into after the lifting
of the lockdown must answer that question. Any establishment wanting to reopen
must have a new labour market policy which prioritises South Africans but does
not discriminate against (foreign nationals). The proportion of South Africans
working in a restaurant must be greater than that of non-South Africans,”
Minister Mboweni told the South African media.
In an interview with Sunday News, social commentator, Mr
Steven Dhlamini said life after Covid-19 will not go back to normal with most
Zimbabweans based in neighbouring countries being forced to come back home with
the job market in both South Africa and Botswana no longer conducive for them.
“The Covid-19 pandemic finds Zimbabwe in an economic
quagmire and it has exacerbated the economic malice on the average citizen
whose economic sustainability had been pivoted on the informal sector. Thus,
the influx of returnees — most of whom do not have formal education — will
increase the size of unemployment and place significant pressure on the limited
resources. The Government will be under pressure to provide social welfare. The
Government will be the most important engine for economic growth with
agriculture and the whole food value chain being the fulcrum for economic
growth and employment creation. Crime is going to be on the rise and a lot of
people are at risk of serious food shortages,” said Mr Dhlamini.
South Africa-based academic, Dr Shepard Mpofu said
Zimbabweans living in the neighbouring country were now hard hit as the South
African government has started working on policies to benefit its citizens
only. He said that “segregation” would be further felt whenever the lockdown
comes to an end with various countries already promulgating laws that were to
benefit their citizens.
“The post-lockdown world will be characterised by people
who have been affected in various ways by the Covid-19 pandemic. What is more
tragic is that those who have been pushed outside their countries of residence
due to economic decline are going to return home and find themselves job
searching again. And during the pandemic, South Africa seems to have injected
some money into the economy, and this injection seems to be targeted at helping
citizens and local companies. The excluded non-South Africans have to go to
their respective countries to start afresh,” said Dr Mpofu.
He said the danger was that the returnees might contribute
to the unemployment rate in the local market and at worse, might also
contribute to crime.
“One thing for sure, they are likely to return to South
Africa and Botswana where they are going to restart their lives, whichever way
they deem fit,” said Dr Mpofu. Sunday News
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