In Old Magwegwe township about 20km from Bulawayo, I meet Brian Moyo*, a tall, dark 32-year-old Zimbabwean who returned home this past weekend after receiving threats to leave Tembisa township in South Africa’s East Rand area — where he had lived for five years.
“I was a victim of xenophobia back in 2008 and when my landlord warned me last week to leave as something bad might happen to me soon, I knew that I couldn’t stay there anymore and take any chances”, he said.
Brian held out his left hand to show me the stub of an index finger that was allegedly cut by attackers one night during the xenophobic violence in May 2008. He also pointed to his left ear, the top part of which was cut off, and says softly: “They told me that this time I would be killed if I stayed”. He slowly moved his head sideways, perhaps reflecting on the grave warning he received.
‘Not just a rumour’
For Brian, the threats of xenophobic violence against foreigners soon after South Africa’s Soccer World Cup are not “just a rumour” as claimed by some. He bears constant reminders: his old wounds. As early as May this year, the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa warned that “a month from the opening match of the World Cup, threats were mounting of further mass xenophobic violence once the event is over”. And since the beginning of July, scores of Zimbabweans fearing an outbreak of xenophobic violence in South Africa have been returning home, laden with their belongings and congesting the Beitbridge border post.
A resident at the border-town, Latoya Mjungwa, noted the unusually high number of arrivals, especially in the early mornings and late at night, as well as the increased movement of property by cross-border traders. Charles Gwede, assistant regional manager-in-charge of Beitbridge border post, said: “At this stage it is difficult to tell whether people are fleeing the possible attacks or not, but we will continue to monitor the situation”.
Observers have warned that xenophobic violence would not just affect foreign nationals, but would also devastate the good image that South Africa had built around the World Cup. The International Organisation for Migration estimates that at least two million Zimbabweans live in South Africa, with more living in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.
The economic meltdown in the country — which began in 2000 when Zanu-PF linked war veterans and youth militia invaded white-owned farms and began a political climate of intimidation, violence and human rights abuses — caused many to flee the country in search of better living conditions.
“Sell outs”
“The mistake that people make is that they just think of this as another rumour and that way when the attacks really begin no one will be prepared to help victims”, says Brian.
“Locals in the community where I lived made door-to-door visits to tip us of what’s going to happen. It was easy for them to do so because they knew beforehand where each foreigner lives and what nationality one is.”
According to Moyo, the door-to-door visits were conducted at night when local residents “knew that most foreigners would be back from work” and at times used other Zimbabweans to show them where their fellow countrymen lived.
“Zimbabweans sold each other out”, he claims.
Dilemma for constitution-making process
The country’s main political parties, Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) — it also emerged — are keenly watching the influx of Zimbabweans from South Africa and the impact this could have on the ongoing constitution-making process run by the constitutional parliamentary committee (Copac). An MDC legislator involved with Copac who requested anonymity said, “This is a big issue for us as Copac, as some of the people that are coming back have South African passports, but they are Zimbabweans. I think this is a chance for them to seriously take up the issue of dual citizenship because they are still Zimbabweans”.
“We can’t exclude people who are highly skilled from helping to rebuild the country on the basis that they hold another citizenship. Their input in this process is important”.
Zanu-PF has objected to dual citizenship, while the MDC supports it. Echoing sentiments similar to that of the MDC, civic society has called for a “constitution that reflects the realities of the day”.
Dumisani Nkomo, Matabeleland Civic Society Consortium spokesperson said: “This is the present reality that many Zimbabweans live outside the country and are citizens of where they live”.
As for Moyo, he feels safer at home and will watch developments in South Africa while in Zimbabwe.
*Not his real name