Stark choices facing Zimbabweans
HARARE - Sithembiso Ncube‚ a teaching assistant at a tertiary institution in Zimbabwe‚ has not received a salary for nearly two months.
She is among many Zimbabweans who have lost faith in their country’s political system.
Not even the upcoming elections are reason for optimism. The best way is to escape the deepening economic crisis.
“Things are bad. I am surviving on bank overdrafts and the bank only takes its money as and when government pays us. What hurts me most is that they add interest‚“Ncube said.
Her husband‚ Brian‚ owns a small construction company but business is slow. Some of his machinery was attacked after he failed to pay workers.
The couple hope that moving to Australia will give them a brighter future.
“We passed visa interviews last month. He will go first and then I will automatically get a spousal visa‚“Ncube said.
The Ncubes are selling their movable property to buy a one-way ticket for Brian.
“When he arrives‚ the Australian government will refund his airfare and that will be used to buy my ticket‚“she added.
According to Australian laws‚ they will have to work for the government for two years.
Thereafter‚ they can take up residence or extend their visas. In their circle of friends‚ a lawyer husband and computer engineer wife left in December for Italy.
But for most ordinary Zimbabweans‚ SA is the destination of choice. Statistics from the South African embassy in Harare indicate that visa applications have doubled since 2014.
The embassy now processes an average of 6‚ 000 permits a month‚ against 3‚ 000 three years ago.