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THE DIGEST VIEW April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 3

Register

to vote WD

early

something else. The bottom line is SA Afrophobia: Mnangagwa
every Zimbabwean above 18 years
residing in this country must go and
register to vote. should speak out
It is unfortunate that given Zim-
babwe’s tortuous past journey
when it comes to elections, which
many believe have been conduct- HE image of Elvis Nyathi, migrants out of South Africa.
ed unfairly, some people may have a Zimbabwean immi- Operation Dudula is populist and
since been disillusioned and now grant's burning body on a has a fertile ground for recruits be-
reluctant to register, let alone cast Johannesburg street jolt- cause of the poor employment sta-
their votes. Ted the collective minds tistics that have been compounded
But past is past and everyone of Zimbabweans to the dark age of by the two-year-old COVID-19 pan-
should look into the future with dif- 2008 Afrophobia attacks in South demic.
ferent lenses. It still remains every- Africa. According to the South African
one’s right to have their say as far This was when South Africans statistical agency, the country's un-
as who they want to lead this coun- necklaced Mozambican nation- employment in the fourth quarter
try is concerned and Zimbabweans al Ernesto Alfabeto Nhamuave (35) of 2021 rose from 34,9% to 35,3%. Paidamoyo Muzulu
Alfonce Mbizwo can only exercise that right once af- in Johannesburg. Necklacing or However, unemployment among

ter every five years. burning of people by mobs is not the youths is now at a record 65,5%. The COVID-19 pandemic has
Editor This means that once the 2023 new to South Africa. It is some- The statistics are potent for social worsened the situation. The econ-
chance to have your say passes, you thing that was common especially cohesion in a country that has the omy has contracted and many are
will have to wait until 2028 to have against sellouts during their libera- widest divide between the rich and actively seeking an opportunity to
IMBABWE Electoral Com- a say and that is a long, long way to tion struggle. poor. Things are made worse by the leave the country and yet South Af-
mission’s countrywide come. This was the same period that environment like Alexandra informal rica has its own challenges.
voter registration exer- Five years is a lifetime and it is another Mozambican, Emmanuel settlement just being adjacent to It should be remembered that in

cise is greatly appreci- now five years since the last gen- Sithole, was attacked and stabbed Sandton, the most expensive piece 2020, South Africa erected a fence
Zated and Zimbabweans eral election, so people should not in broad daylight by three South Af- of estate per square metre in Africa. on the Beitbridge border and along
should welcome this move by be- deny themselves their right to vote ricans for vending. Things could get worse as South the Limpopo River to keep Zimba-
sieging voter registration centres in by failing to simply register to vote. This fresh emergence of Afropho- Africa moves closer to the 2024 bweans and other migrants from
their millions to book their participa- No one has a crystal ball to zoom bia has been long in coming. Last elections where many analysts think the north from illegally crossing
tion in next year’s general elections. into the future to see what it holds. year in July, South Africa faced po- the ANC support would dip below into their territory.
Many people have a general ten- Therefore, all citizens eligible to vote litical unrest related to the collaps- 50% and force it to form a coalition Zimbabwe should speak out. It
dency to wait to do things in the must take this chance to exercise ing economy and the jailing of for- government. This is a prospect too has a duty to protect its citizens
very last minute, which can their constitutional right to mer President Jacob Zuma on con- ghastly to contemplate for many in within and without its borders. This
be stressful and incon- decide who they want tempt of court charges. the ANC who have practically lived- is an obligation placed on govern-

veniencing. Natu- to lead them into The groups started ransacking o the State since independence in ment by the Constitution.
So the earlier that future, what- shops and looting. They said some- 1994. As citizens, we need to know
the people go rally, elections ever it beholds. thing about foreigners taking their Coming back home, Zimbabwe what our government is doing to
out in droves No one jobs. It took over a week before a has not spoken loudly against the protect its citizens. Silence does
to register are electric and once needs to be semblance of normalcy was put in Afrophobia attacks in South Africa. not do the trick. Every single life is
to vote, the reminded place. It has kept largely silent on the mat- important. Nyathi was a son, broth-
better it the plebiscite dates are an- that many A commission set up by Presi- ter, be it at Sadc or African Union er, friend, husband and parent to
will be for Zimba- dent Cyril Ramaphosa revealed that gatherings. his four children. Their lives will be
everyone, nounced — which is usually bweans the chaos was a result of the fail- The silence has been driven by a hollow without him.
includ- died fi ght- ure of central government and in- number of things. These range from Zimbabwe should engage South
ing those late towards voting, people start ing for the telligence services to anticipate vi- South Africa’s economic position Africa and get assurances about
planning right to olence. It also said that factionalism and Zimbabwe’s deteriorating so- the safety of its citizens.
to conduct to suddenly want to take part in vote after in ANC was also to blame. cial and economic conditions. The Afrophobia in South Africa
this elec- being de- South Africa last November held Zimbabwe, since the turn of the is now worth a summit. It is dan-
tion. the polls and ultimately, the nied that local government elections. The century in 2000, has been closing gerous for other Sadc countries to
Natural- right for gen- political temperatures were high down the political space. There has engage in “quiet diplomacy” on
ly, elections last minute rush to reg- erations before and the question of migrants be- been cases of politically-motivated the matter. Signs are that things
are electric and the 1980 inde- came an electoral issue. violence accompanying elections. will get worse as we move towards
once the plebi- ister ensues. pendence. Herman Mashaba’s One South Opposition activists have been at 2024.
scite dates are an- The independ- Africa movement is against illegal the wrong end of the stick. Many It is also a proven fact that fac-

nounced — which is ence we are all going to migrants and promised to deal with fled the country for safety or eco- tionalism in the ANC is a ecting
usually late towards voting, celebrate on April 18 should them if elected. EFF’s Julius Male- nomic reasons. service delivery, particularly safety
people start to suddenly want to be a reminder that it is a celebration ma went for the populist move tar- South Africa was and still remains for all who live in South Africa. This
take part in the polls and ultimately, for finally having the chance to free- geting shopping malls and asking a destination of choice for many is a matter that will cause regional

the last minute rush to register en- ly cast a ballot. the nationalities of people working because of its proximity and sophis- instability if not nipped in the bud.
sues. Casting a ballot in this country there. ticated economy not only in Sadc, Can President Mnangagwa
This creates unnecessary pressure did not come on a silver platter, so The ruling party ANC did not have but across the continent. stand up and be counted or he
on personnel conducting the reg- people should not take it for grant- a solid position on migrants. Its po- Zimbabwe’s economy has con- will choose to look away and ask
istration exercise. Machine break- ed by squandering the opportunity. sition was based on which faction of tinued its nosedive since 2000 and Zimbabweans to make money by
downs and long winding queues Everyone worth their salt should not the ANC did the leader come from. its still far from getting to pre-2000 whichever means as he said during
become commonplace, yet all this even think twice about registering This created room for radical el- indexes. This has had an impact campaigns.
can be avoided if people register to vote. It must just come natural. ements like Nhlanhla “Lux” Dlamini on the economy as many qualified

early. Therefore, Zimbabweans let us all to form Operation Dudula, a move- personnel migrate to South Africa in Paidamoyo Muzulu is a journalist
Whether those who register ex- register to vote now and avoid the ment that seeks to drive all illegal search of greener pastures. based in Zimbabwe. He writes in
ercise their right to vote or not is last minute rush. his personal capacity.

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