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The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge. This is a saying which means that the generations of today blame those who have gone before them. Is this saying even relevant in this case? Is there still a yearning for the country now known as Zimbabwe?
‘Hundreds of years before that, it was known as the Kingdom of Mapungubwe (1075 -1220). This was a pre-colonial state in Southern Africa located at the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers, south of the Great Zimbabwe. The Kingdom was the first stage in a development that would culminate in the creation of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe in the 13th century.’
‘The Republic of Zimbabwe, as it is officially known is a landlocked country located between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. The capital is Harare (previously known as Salisbury). The country boasts 16 official languages with English, Shona and Ndebele the most common. The present territory was first demarcated by Cecil John Rhodes (hence the name Rhodesia) of the British South Africa Company. As we all know, Mr Robert Mugabe is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Mr Morgan Tsvangirai is serving as Prime Minister.
The motto of the country is: ‘Unity, freedom, work’ – unity I’m not so sure of, freedom – well no as too many people had to leave to try and find economic emancipation elsewhere but one thing is for sure: the people (certainly those whom I have met) are prepared to work. Can they ‘work’ a miracle and achieve the other two pillars of unity and freedom? It’s not impossible.
The country has a land area of 390, 757 km², an estimated GDP of $ 7.7 billion, a population of 12.6 million people and Gini coefficient of 50.1 which is classified as high. To put that in perspective South Africa has a land area of 1, 221, 037 km², an estimated GDP of $ 608.8 billion, an estimated population of 52.9 million people and a Gini coefficient of 63.1, considered very high. In simple terms the Gini coefficient means the gap between rich and poor. The higher the factor the higher the levels of economic inequality.
Many, what is now considered South African families, actually moved here in the 1980s from Zimbabwe. It is obviously not implied that they are not South African, it’s just interesting. What percentage of white English speaking South Africans can trace their roots to what is now known as Zimbabwe? ‘Between 1980 and 1990 approximately two thirds of the white population left Zimbabwe. Only one third of the farming community left. About 49% of the emigrants left to settle (here) in South Africa, 29% in the UK and the remainder going to Australia, Canada and the USA. Nostalgic Rhodesians are also sometimes referred to as ‘whenwes’ because of the nostalgia of ‘When we were in Rhodesia’; those who remained are apparently known as ‘Zimbos’.
ZANU-PF has won every election since independence amidst persistent allegations of vote rigging. Will it be a case again of: rather ‘the devil you know’? What will the voters decide? Will be get an accurate reflection of the will of the people of Zimbabwe or will they intervene? When will Mr Mugabe retire? What if Mr Tsvangirai wins? Will it set in motion a Zimbabwean renaissance? Will the door swing open for these ‘Rhodesians’?
So many questions. South Africa was on the verge of civil war and experienced what many regarded as a miracle. Is it not time for a Zimbabwean miracle? Here’s another question: can the South African economy afford not to have Zimbabweans here?
Let me stop here. I wish them all the best.
