John Mathemba (not his real name) is a 24-year-old taxi driver but his permit says he is a herdsman. He has been driving taxis for the past two years. He says he got his own permit by placing an advertisement for a farm labourer in the Daily News. “It is so easy. All you have to do is place an advert in the Daily News, and let it run for two weeks,” he says.
“And it’s cheap to place an advert of this nature in the Daily News. It only costs about P7.
According to Mathemba ou need a contact number and a postal box number.
“After two weeks, you can attach the advert to your application forms and ask a citizen of Botswana to act as your boss and hand in the application forms on your behalf. All you need is a work permit and a resident permit.
“Where you work is not really an issue. You can get a permit, which says you are a herdsman, but still drive a taxi,” the Zimbabwean says.
The other way of getting a permit is by marrying a Motswana, he says. “Even if you are married in Zimbabwe, you can still marry again in Botswana and nobody would know that you have a wife back home. “A letter that confirms that you are not married can be bought over the counter in Zimbabwe and nobody can charge you with bigamy,” Mathemba says.
“As long as the wives do not meet, you are safe or you can tell your wife back home why you have to marry a Motswana and she is bound to understand. Life is tough in Zimbabwe. She has no choice as long as you bring money home”.
The Zimbabwean illegal immigrants, who are seen as a menace by many Batswana, are said to be a blessing for many would-be homeowners.
The self-employed Zimbabwean bricklayers are said to be charging five times less than their Batswana counterparts. Many Batswana rely on Zimbabwean builders because they say they save a lot of money.
