R40 million later, border fence carried away to ‘fence kraals in Zimbabwe’

The Beitbridge border has become the economic hub of both South African citizens and legal and illegal Zimbabwean immigrants living near the dusty border town of Musina.

It’s also become the focus of the new Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala, who yesterday said the controversial border fence, built under his predecessor and now Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille, was a total disaster. Zikalala was speaking to The Citizen during an inspection visit to Beitbridge.

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The 40km fence cost tax payers R40 million in 2020, however little of it remains.

Local residents claimed it was being stolen by illegal immigrants to surround their kraals in Zimbabwe.

Packers ‘against’ new Zimbabwe border fence

Entering the small town of Musina, one is met with potholes, and scores of people selling and buying goods – with both South Africans and Zimbabweans trying to earn a living.

From early morning, fully loaded trucks, vans and cars are seen trying to make their way to Zimbabwe. The dire situation in that country has forced Zimbabweans to try and seek a better future in South Africa – legally or illegally.

ALSO READ: De Lille blames defence minister for delays in turning Beitbridge ‘washing line’ into a fence

With the Zimbabwean exemption permits (ZEP) coming to end on 30 June – and the visit by Zikalala yesterday to try and solve the border fence issues – the future of especially Zimbabweans seems doomed.

A Zimbabwean packer in a border shop, Sheu Dube, said with ZEP permits expiring and now another proposal of a new fence, his livelihood would be affected.

“Everyone packing here is against it. This proposal will create chaos back home. There is nothing there, no jobs and no food. What we are doing here is not nice, but it’s the only thing that feeds my family,” Dube said.

“Jumping the border daily, avoiding arrests, running from soldiers, jumping a river is not how I wanted to live, but the situation at home has made me immune to pain and suffering, or fearing death.”

‘Hungry people not afraid to die’

The reselling of cellphone SIM cards seems to be one of the booming businesses among those who operate at the border.

One of the many women who sell SA SIM cards, Natasha Karongwe, said the demand was huge.

“I am a Rica agent, I get the SIM, Rica it and then resell it for R30 with R30 airtime. A Zimbabwean SIM card does not work this side of the border,” Karongwe said.

A wholesale business owner who identified himself as Mohammed said if harsher border measures were introduced, people in Musina who mostly survive on selling at the border would suffer and businesses would be affected.

“The fence maybe will help – but last time the fence they built didn’t last a week. People are hungry and when people are hungry, they are not afraid to die.”