SA lobbies for lifting of Zim sanctions

● The South African government is stepping up efforts to have international sanctions on Zimbabwe lifted in an effort to halt the flow of migrants to the country.

Finance minister Tito Mboweni and his director-general Dondo Mogajane used the spring meetings of the World Bank Group in Washington in the US last week to lobby Western nations to “normalise” Zimbabwe’s economy and its relations with the bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

As the economic crisis in Zimbabwe continues to escalate, with a rising threat of triple-digit inflation last seen in 2008, the flow of economic refugees to SA increases.

Mboweni held one-on-one discussions with new World Bank president David Malpass, in which he petitioned for the easing of sanctions, first imposed after the disputed elections in 2002.

Mboweni also raised the issue at the formal meeting of the World Bank-IMF development committee, where he spoke of the debilitating effect of sanctions on neighbouring countries and the region as a whole.

The large number of undocumented foreign nationals in SA has become a major issue on the election trail, leading to both the ANC and the opposition DA pledging a stronger stance on border control.

An upsurge in xenophobic attacks has also compelled the government to address the flow of migrants into the country.

Mogajane said he also had discussions on the Zimbabwe sanctions with his counterparts from the US, France and Germany.

“We have to be a strong voice for Zimbabwe to normalise the situation there and grant them greater access to markets.

“A stable Zimbabwe is a stable SA. It is well known that there is pressure on the health system here, and the situation in Zimbabwe has exacerbated hunger, starvation and joblessness in both countries,” said Mogajane.

A team from Zimbabwe, led by finance minister Mthuli Ncube, was also in Washington to campaign against sanctions.

Mboweni also appealed to the World Bank to come to the aid of Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe after the devastation of Cyclone Idai last month.

Mogajane said though SA and other nations were providing help, the relief effort required greater support from the World Bank.