“Even Under Ian Smith They Didn’t Come Here” – ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula Raises Concerns About Growing Zimbabwean migration to South Africa
Fikile Mbalula, the Secretary General of South Africa’s ruling party, has raised concerns about the increasing number of Zimbabweans moving to South Africa.
This issue came to the forefront when Mbalula sparked controversy on social media (formerly known as Twitter) by congratulating President Emmerson Mnangagwa following his victory in the recent presidential election. Mbalula recently expressed his worry about the significant influx of Zimbabweans into South Africa.
He explained that the Zimbabwean migration situation is more intricate than it is often portrayed. Mbalula pointed out that even during Ian Smith’s colonial rule, Zimbabweans did not cross the border in large numbers to seek employment in South Africa.
“But the Zimbabwean situation is bigger than that. People like to simplify the Zimbabwean issue and it only comes up during the election. We said to you, “In Zimbabwe, the whole country has moved it’s here in South Africa” and who said that? It’s me on behalf of the ANC. And what is the solution? Before the elections, we said lift the sanctions, get the economy working in Zimbabwe and increase trade. Zimbabweans even under apartheid never crossed the river to come and ask for jobs. They stayed in their country. Under Ian Smith regime, they stayed in their country because Zimbabwe was regarded as the bread basket of the African continent,” Mbalula emphasized.
Mbalula stressed that Zimbabweans should take responsibility for addressing their own challenges and refrain from collaborating with Western nations and their allies to instigate regime change.
