SA must not clean Zanu PF mess

ISUPPORT the decision of the South African government to not extend the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEPs). We must remember that those permits were for a special circumstance. While I recognise that it will leave nearly a quarter million Zimbabweans destitute as they did not get other legal status before December 31, 2021 — the end of the grace period for their transition to other permits.

I believe that it is a necessary decision to take if we are serious about dealing with the Zanu PFmanufactured crisis in Zimbabwe that necessitated the introduction of these special permits.

The South African government and many others must start holding Zanu PF accountable for its mess. For over two decades, the South African government has been an accomplice to the mess that the Zanu PF has created in Zimbabwe. South Africa had refused to take bold action against Zanu PF because of their liberation ties and capitalist interests to the detriment of Zimbabweans. Perhaps the greatest tragedy in all this is that Zimbabweans are casualties of opportunism on the part of the South African government and capital.

The reason that South Africa has never held Zanu PF accountable is because the country has been the biggest beneficiary of the instability in Zimbabwe. As the Zimbabwean economy collapsed, South African companies set up shop in Zimbabwe to exploit the situation. The brain drain in Zimbabwe has benefitted South Africa.

So, the Zimbabwean crisis has been a blessing in disguise for South African capital. With the help and blessing of the Zanu PF, South Africa abused Zimbabweans.

All that said, one thing must be emphasised: the kleptocratic and dictatorial Zanu PF has to be held accountable by Zimbabweans with the help of the regional community. We must stop cleaning up that murderous party’s mess.

The reason the Zanu PF PF Sandton branch is fighting and threatening the South African government about this ZEP issue is because it is afraid of Zimbabweans in the diaspora returning home.

It knows that the more Zimbabweans are at home, the more the contradictions in Zimbabwe are sharpened. It knows that the Zanu PF will be exposed, threatening its hold on power.

Zimbabweans who have lived in the diaspora for many years are not the same ones who ran away in the 2000s. They have been exposed to more democratic societies. They have been exposed to societies where people protest against governments. They know that it is possible to make the mighty fall. And Zanu PF is terrified of these people.

That is why it will do anything to keep them out, so that it can continue to beat those inside to within an inch of their lives. It has rendered many of them apoplectic with fear and reigns with a margin of terror.

I wish Zimbabweans were going back home out of choice and not because they are being forced to do so. I wish this could have been more humane.

But I wish more than this that Zanu PF is finally held to account, because one thing is clear: the status quo is unsustainable for South Africa, Zimbabwe and for the entire continent. The African continent cannot continue to clean the mess that Zanu PF engineers.