JOHANNESBURG: The South Africa government is under pressure to implement
SADC protocols on free regulation of movement for Zimbabweans as economic
woes worsens in the once bread basket of Southern Africa which has been
reduced to a basket shelf.
The S A government is being accused of negating Southern African Development
Community (SADC) protocols on the free regulation of visas to Zimbabweans
alone in a strong 14 member nation when it can be temporary solution to the
a decade long crisis.
According to the SADC protocols on free travel regulations, countries agreed
to allow the regional bloc citizens to enter to their countries without
having to go through the strict visa requirements in Mauritius, 2004.
On the agreements signed by the governments each individual country enjoy
the freedom of not endorsing the agreements as bilateral treaties have to be
agreed and signed on to allow free movement of citizens.
Recently Zimbabwe signed this bilateral agreement with Mozambique which has
already seen a huge number of Zimbabweans flocking into the country which
they once despised so very much from the 1st of November.
Zimbabweans currently enjoy the fruits of these SADC protocols with all
other countries except South Africa were a strict R2000 fee requirement is
paid as a surety when one wants to travel to South Africa .
A research done by The Zimbabwean has established that all other countries
in the region enjoys these benefits when coming to South Africa except for
Zimbabweans and analysts argue that the move is more political and that it
would go a long way for SA to pardon Zimbabweans.
If South Africa sign this agreement Zimbabweans will no longer need to go
through the strict requirements but will have to get a stamp at the border
which expires in every three months and allowing one to work.
If SA accepts this a large number of starving Zimbabweans who currently can
not afford to pay the visa requirement fee will be left with no option but
to cross the border in search of survival even working in farms were
thousands are already working.
An analyst who spoke to The Zimbabwean said the move by SA to delay relaxing
its visa requirements is meant to serve President Robert Mugabe’s government
from an immediate collapse due to a possible exodus of the remaining
workforce.
Post published in: News