Opinion / Columnist
South Africa to deport Zimbabweans, where would stateless Ndebeles go?
30 Nov 2021 at 07:32hrs | Views
On Thursday 25 November 2021, Matabeles woke up to bad news from the South African government that the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit program has been scrapped. Matabeles and Zimbabweans that are beneficiaries of this program were given a grace period of 12 months to switch to other visas, leave South Africa voluntarily or face deportation. Where would stateless Matabeles go? This is a question that demands an answer here and now, now, now!
This means that after the expiry of the grace period police vans and trucks will be going around the whole of South Africa collecting Matabeles and Zimbabweans without papers and delivering them to Lindela to be deported to Zimbabwe.
It does not need a rocket scientists to tell that a political disaster of highest proportions is looming in our land, Matabele-land. We already suffer under the heavy yoke of Shona oppression. Abject poverty, 100% unemployment rate, death due to hunger, and high illiterateracy rate would be the order of the day in Matabeleland. That is, if we do not take decisive action now now, now!
South Africa is and has been the second home for Matabeles since the days of Matabeleland genocide in the 1980s until this day. If we direct our anger to the South African government, that would be misplaced. We can only be thankful to them for accommodating us for many years even when they were under pressure from their own citizens. This is how far they could go.
Our anger must be directed to the real devil, that is, the Shona supremacist government of Zimbabwe. This oppressive government is the double horned Satan that has mercilessly murdered more than 40 000 innocent and unarmed Matabele civilians including women, children and old people. It continues to discriminate us based on tribe, shutting the doors to education, employment, business and development on our face.
This tribalist government has made us to be the loughing stock of the world. It has caused us much humiliation in the foreign lands where all of us are now painted with one brush and viewed as thieves, rapists and murderers. It's anti- Matabele policies and failure to run the economy due to theft and corruption has forced us to cross crocodile infested Limpopo river and bushes to be eaten by wild animals, raped and robbed by criminals in the bush (Amagumaguma).
People of Matabeleland both female and male, young and old. We are partly to blame. We are like a cowardly man who ran away and hid in a neighbour's home after his own home was invaded by a venomous snake. When the neighbour fed and treated him well, he enjoyed the food and forgot that there is a snake in his own home and that the snake would not go anywhere unless he himself gets rid of it. And that accommodation next door was temporary. Living and working in South Africa or any other foreign country should be a temporary measure not a long term one. Matabeleland independence cause should and must be our first priority.
Do not be deceived by Shona people who will ask you to assist them to fight for Zimbabwe first. We have tried that during the Zimbabwe independence struggle. Our fathers fought and died for the very Zimbabwe but when the Shonas took over political power and were in control of the government, army, intelligence and police, they turned against us and deployed Zimbabwe National Army 5th Brigade to murder innocent unarmed Matabele civilians. They continue to oppress us to this day.
In 2000 our brothers and sisters thought that the ZANU -ZAPU political deal was not up to scratch that is why Matabeles were killed. They then formed MDC in allience with Shonas. The Shona supremacists in the MDC could not even wait until they got political power. Thus in 2005, it all ended in tears. Gibson Sibanda MDC Vice President, Welshman Ncube, MDC Secretary General and other prominent political Matabeles were stoned out of Harare and Mashonaland by the MDC youth sent by Morgan Tsvangirai, the late MDC President. That marked the tribal split of the MDC. One lady Thokozani Khupe, thought she was the darling of the Shona people and remained in the MDC T after the 2005 split. But her time came after the death of Morgan Tsvangirai. She was saved by the rain that extinguished the fire when the marchents of tribalism attempted to burn her inside a thatched hut. She left Mashonaland and the MDC Allience or MDC T or MDC M or MDC99 in a hurry. That is how bad and confusing the situation for Matabeles in Zimbabwe. We should draw lessons from these embarrassing political events and never make the same mistakes again.
They say once beaten twice shy but we have been beaten many times now. When they (Shonas) come to tell you about their Zimbabwe nonsense this time around, tell them that we have assisted them many times and got a raw deal. And that they must get lost because it is time to liberate ourselves from them, Shona supremacists.
The grievances of Shona and Matabele people are not the same. The war in Masholand is about who should control livers of power and steal from the poor. Shona people have a DNA of stealing, corruption and witch- craft. Matabeles are fighting to liberate themselves from Shona tribal oppression. In Zimbabwe, we live in fear of being slaughtered in cold blood, segregated against in labour, education, politics, socially and business. As the white racist was our enemy during Rhodesia, the black Shona tribalist is our enemy in Zimbabwe.
Our future is not in Zimbabwe or any other foreign country but in our land, Matabele- land.
Now that we have been caught by surprise and about to be chased away from our temporary residence in our neighbour's house it is time to deal with the snake that has found comfort in our own home.
The snake is the Shona supremacist government of Zimbabwe that is illegally occupying Matabeleland.15 years of Matabeleland independence cause has taught us that our enemy is not prepared for negotiations, is not bothered by our groans of pain and cannot be shouted out of Matabeleland.
Martin Luther king Jr said it and it is true. "Freedom never comes on a silver platter… You don't get to the Promised Land without going through the Wilderness… Whenever you break out of Egypt you better get ready for stiff backs. You better get ready for some homes to be bombed. You better get ready for some churches to be bombed. You better get ready for a lot of nasty things to be said about you, because you are getting out of Egypt."
Worry not when you are deported from foreign lands. Just pick up the gun and fight for the independence of Matabele- land your own land. This is your home where you shall live in peace without the fear of being killed, fear of being discriminated against and without the fear of being humiliated and deported.
Let us unite and fight together or perish together!
Izenzo Kungemazwi!
Israel Dube
MLO Secretary for Information and Puplic Affairs
This means that after the expiry of the grace period police vans and trucks will be going around the whole of South Africa collecting Matabeles and Zimbabweans without papers and delivering them to Lindela to be deported to Zimbabwe.
It does not need a rocket scientists to tell that a political disaster of highest proportions is looming in our land, Matabele-land. We already suffer under the heavy yoke of Shona oppression. Abject poverty, 100% unemployment rate, death due to hunger, and high illiterateracy rate would be the order of the day in Matabeleland. That is, if we do not take decisive action now now, now!
South Africa is and has been the second home for Matabeles since the days of Matabeleland genocide in the 1980s until this day. If we direct our anger to the South African government, that would be misplaced. We can only be thankful to them for accommodating us for many years even when they were under pressure from their own citizens. This is how far they could go.
Our anger must be directed to the real devil, that is, the Shona supremacist government of Zimbabwe. This oppressive government is the double horned Satan that has mercilessly murdered more than 40 000 innocent and unarmed Matabele civilians including women, children and old people. It continues to discriminate us based on tribe, shutting the doors to education, employment, business and development on our face.
This tribalist government has made us to be the loughing stock of the world. It has caused us much humiliation in the foreign lands where all of us are now painted with one brush and viewed as thieves, rapists and murderers. It's anti- Matabele policies and failure to run the economy due to theft and corruption has forced us to cross crocodile infested Limpopo river and bushes to be eaten by wild animals, raped and robbed by criminals in the bush (Amagumaguma).
People of Matabeleland both female and male, young and old. We are partly to blame. We are like a cowardly man who ran away and hid in a neighbour's home after his own home was invaded by a venomous snake. When the neighbour fed and treated him well, he enjoyed the food and forgot that there is a snake in his own home and that the snake would not go anywhere unless he himself gets rid of it. And that accommodation next door was temporary. Living and working in South Africa or any other foreign country should be a temporary measure not a long term one. Matabeleland independence cause should and must be our first priority.
Do not be deceived by Shona people who will ask you to assist them to fight for Zimbabwe first. We have tried that during the Zimbabwe independence struggle. Our fathers fought and died for the very Zimbabwe but when the Shonas took over political power and were in control of the government, army, intelligence and police, they turned against us and deployed Zimbabwe National Army 5th Brigade to murder innocent unarmed Matabele civilians. They continue to oppress us to this day.
In 2000 our brothers and sisters thought that the ZANU -ZAPU political deal was not up to scratch that is why Matabeles were killed. They then formed MDC in allience with Shonas. The Shona supremacists in the MDC could not even wait until they got political power. Thus in 2005, it all ended in tears. Gibson Sibanda MDC Vice President, Welshman Ncube, MDC Secretary General and other prominent political Matabeles were stoned out of Harare and Mashonaland by the MDC youth sent by Morgan Tsvangirai, the late MDC President. That marked the tribal split of the MDC. One lady Thokozani Khupe, thought she was the darling of the Shona people and remained in the MDC T after the 2005 split. But her time came after the death of Morgan Tsvangirai. She was saved by the rain that extinguished the fire when the marchents of tribalism attempted to burn her inside a thatched hut. She left Mashonaland and the MDC Allience or MDC T or MDC M or MDC99 in a hurry. That is how bad and confusing the situation for Matabeles in Zimbabwe. We should draw lessons from these embarrassing political events and never make the same mistakes again.
They say once beaten twice shy but we have been beaten many times now. When they (Shonas) come to tell you about their Zimbabwe nonsense this time around, tell them that we have assisted them many times and got a raw deal. And that they must get lost because it is time to liberate ourselves from them, Shona supremacists.
Our future is not in Zimbabwe or any other foreign country but in our land, Matabele- land.
Now that we have been caught by surprise and about to be chased away from our temporary residence in our neighbour's house it is time to deal with the snake that has found comfort in our own home.
The snake is the Shona supremacist government of Zimbabwe that is illegally occupying Matabeleland.15 years of Matabeleland independence cause has taught us that our enemy is not prepared for negotiations, is not bothered by our groans of pain and cannot be shouted out of Matabeleland.
Martin Luther king Jr said it and it is true. "Freedom never comes on a silver platter… You don't get to the Promised Land without going through the Wilderness… Whenever you break out of Egypt you better get ready for stiff backs. You better get ready for some homes to be bombed. You better get ready for some churches to be bombed. You better get ready for a lot of nasty things to be said about you, because you are getting out of Egypt."
Worry not when you are deported from foreign lands. Just pick up the gun and fight for the independence of Matabele- land your own land. This is your home where you shall live in peace without the fear of being killed, fear of being discriminated against and without the fear of being humiliated and deported.
Let us unite and fight together or perish together!
Izenzo Kungemazwi!
Israel Dube
MLO Secretary for Information and Puplic Affairs
Source - Israel Dube
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.