Implementation of Zim, SA economic deals should be expedited

HISTORY has it that in 1838 King Mzilikazi and his entourage crossed the Limpopo River from Zululand present day KwaZulu-Natal into the area between Zambezi and Limpopo during the Mfecane while he was running away from King Tshaka after his revolt.

He settled in the southern parts of the country later known as Zimbabwe and began building his state — the Ndebele State which he moulded in the same pattern and structure as that of King Tshaka.

Although he had left Zululand and Tshaka it seems he did not take his umbilical cord with him as he remained connected to the people through ancestral and cultural ties. He did not know that he was building ties between the two neighbouring countries that were to stretch further to this day and it has become part of the history that cannot be wished-away by anyone.

A lot of other political events that followed where the two countries stood in each other’s corner were just a retracing of the history that was written by King Mzilikazi with the two countries’ leaders President Robert Mugabe and President Jacob Zuma seemingly reading from the same stanza and mindful of the adage, “to forget history is to live one’s self and posterity unprotected.”

Both countries provided political asylum to each other during Zimbabwe’s struggle for independence and during the oppressive apartheid regime in South Africa. The relationship was to further be strengthened by solid economic ties with both countries depending on each other.

The bond between Pretoria and Harare is therefore nothing new as it dates back to the very formative years of the sovereign states that the countries are now. Seen in that light, one will not be far from the point to say diplomatic relations between the two countries therefore do not have their roots in politics as in most cases but they are just natural. It is in the same light that the recent state-visit by South African President Zuma and his delegation to Zimbabwe should be seen. It should be read not just as a show of good neighbourliness or proximity in terms of geography.

It was more than that as it reinforced bilateral relations and co-operation between the two countries, and to further strengthen and develop the potential that exists for closer ties in the fields of trade, investment, mining, water and energy, among others.

The state visit saw the launch and attending of the inaugural session of the Bi-National Commission — an instrument through which political and economic relations will be monitored at Presidential level to foster economic development and improve the livelihoods of the people in the two countries.

This is a graduation of the two countries’ relations on the economic front as previously bilateral agreements were monitored by ministers and co-ordinated through the Joint Commission of Co-operation.

The two Heads of State expressed satisfaction with the strong historical and fraternal relations existing between the two countries and reiterated their commitment to continue enhancing the relations.

A wide range of regional and international issues were reviewed with President Mugabe expressing the need to implement outstanding deals out of the 38 signed since 1995.

“This new highest level forum of regular engagements between us reflects the dynamic and logical evolution of our already comprehensive bilateral co-operation. We have agreed and look forward to working closely together as strategic partners in defending our sovereignty in fostering economic development in maintaining peace and security,” said President Mugabe.

It is common knowledge that Zimbabwe is among the biggest trade partners of South Africa and synthesising both bilateral and bi-national relations was a move in the right direction that is set to make a good economic and political turn for the two Southern African countries.

A number of new bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding were penned as a follow up to the ones that were put in place when President Mugabe visited South Africa in April last year.

And mindful of the strategic positions that their countries have to the rest of Africa, President Zuma and President Mugabe agreed to set up a One-StopBorder-Post at Beitbridge-Musina that is expected to expedite trade and efficiency in the clearance procedures.

The border post has been one of the busiest ports of entry in African south of the Sahara and has been synonymous with long winding queues that went from difficult to painful on public holidays.

We hope the idea, first agreed in 2009 and stalled by various regional economic will this time around find the impetus from the two leaders and be achieved to increase the ease of doing business not only among the two countries but the rest of Africa.

It is our humble submission that the bilateral agreements that were signed in South Africa and those that were signed here are implemented without delay so as to boost the two countries’ economies and create employment.

We have to point out here and now that the two governments should walk the talk and create a conducive operating environment by removing the red tape and giving investors a red carpet as expressed by President Zuma.

The scenario where agreed economic deals are shelved to gather dust and sometimes become irrelevant because they would have stayed too long without implementation should be condemned.