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Zimbabweans are running the South African economy, says Mugabe
24 Jul 2013 at 05:19hrs | Views
Zimbabweans are "literally running" the South African economy, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said on Tuesday, but added that he was not to blame for the high number of citizens who had fled his country.
He was speaking at an election rally in Mutare, a week before elections, preparations for which have been clouded by funding problems and foreign criticism.
Mr Mugabe said he was ashamed of the high number of Zimbabwean citizens in South Africa as they were taking jobs from South Africans. South Africans were resorting to violence due to an influx of Zimbabweans, who took most of the jobs in hotels and other businesses, he said.
"We feel ashamed of the influx of Zimbabweans in South Africa. If you go to their hotels, there are Zimbabweans all over. The same applies to other businesses. Zimbabweans are literally running the South African economy. South Africans end up attacking Zimbabweans because there are just too many in that country," Mr Mugabe said.
"The situation is made worse by the high number of border jumpers, especially those from Matabeleland South. In that region, it is a tradition that most men cross the Limpopo River to work in South Africa, where they will come back home once or twice a year. There are more women than men in Matabeleland because men are immigrant workers in South Africa, from where they come back with blankets and bicycles after their sojourn there.
"The blame of their migration is heaped on Mugabe. People say they are running away from Mugabe and I am now their passport to enter foreign lands like Britain and South Africa.
"Even Mrs (Janet) Banana (wife of the first president of Zimbabwe), when she went to the UK she said she was running away from Mugabe's oppression, yet she wanted to settle with her children there. How evil am I to oppress an old lady like Mrs Banana?"
Mr Mugabe said despite economic challenges facing Zimbabwe, it still had a better education system than South Africa's. "We beat South Africa in education. We have a 91% literacy rate and no country in Africa is above 90% save for us. South Africa is third, behind Equatorial Guinea, at an 86% literacy rate.
"As Zimbabweans, our desire was to create more jobs, but we were being hampered by the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change). We were telling them to release money to distressed companies, especially the $500m from the International Monetary Fund's special drawing rights. (Finance Minister Tendai) Biti remained shifting the goalposts and we do not know where the money is right now.
"They don't care about Zimbabweans' sufferings because they have houses in South Africa where they fly every weekend to enjoy themselves, leaving you to suffer here in Zimbabwe," Mr Mugabe said.
He was speaking at an election rally in Mutare, a week before elections, preparations for which have been clouded by funding problems and foreign criticism.
Mr Mugabe said he was ashamed of the high number of Zimbabwean citizens in South Africa as they were taking jobs from South Africans. South Africans were resorting to violence due to an influx of Zimbabweans, who took most of the jobs in hotels and other businesses, he said.
"We feel ashamed of the influx of Zimbabweans in South Africa. If you go to their hotels, there are Zimbabweans all over. The same applies to other businesses. Zimbabweans are literally running the South African economy. South Africans end up attacking Zimbabweans because there are just too many in that country," Mr Mugabe said.
"The situation is made worse by the high number of border jumpers, especially those from Matabeleland South. In that region, it is a tradition that most men cross the Limpopo River to work in South Africa, where they will come back home once or twice a year. There are more women than men in Matabeleland because men are immigrant workers in South Africa, from where they come back with blankets and bicycles after their sojourn there.
"The blame of their migration is heaped on Mugabe. People say they are running away from Mugabe and I am now their passport to enter foreign lands like Britain and South Africa.
"Even Mrs (Janet) Banana (wife of the first president of Zimbabwe), when she went to the UK she said she was running away from Mugabe's oppression, yet she wanted to settle with her children there. How evil am I to oppress an old lady like Mrs Banana?"
Mr Mugabe said despite economic challenges facing Zimbabwe, it still had a better education system than South Africa's. "We beat South Africa in education. We have a 91% literacy rate and no country in Africa is above 90% save for us. South Africa is third, behind Equatorial Guinea, at an 86% literacy rate.
"As Zimbabweans, our desire was to create more jobs, but we were being hampered by the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change). We were telling them to release money to distressed companies, especially the $500m from the International Monetary Fund's special drawing rights. (Finance Minister Tendai) Biti remained shifting the goalposts and we do not know where the money is right now.
"They don't care about Zimbabweans' sufferings because they have houses in South Africa where they fly every weekend to enjoy themselves, leaving you to suffer here in Zimbabwe," Mr Mugabe said.
Source - BDlive
