Batswana, Zim transport operators clash

EDWARD BULE
Correspondent | Friday January 15, 2010 00:00

People from the eastern, north eastern and central districts of Botswana used to cross the border into Zimbabwe and buy ploughs, bicycle parts, clothing, including school uniforms, tea, mealie-meal, sugar, bread flour, tobacco, medicine and other basic commodities from shops along the border. Others cycled to towns like Plumtree for their shopping. Because motor vehicles were not common, the train was easily the most reliable mode of transportation for the cross-border shoppers from both countries.

Back then people did not have to worry about the complicated and mind-boggling customs and immigration formalities at the border, nor the road access tax, carbon tax or tollgate fees. Those needing to transport other people's goods did not need the BA permits or PRDP licences together with the whole plethora of other bureaucratic requirements at the border gates.

It is trite to note that the cross-border activity mentioned above was a near one-way traffic as Zimbabweans then bought little or nothing from Botswana. As a mater of fact, Botswana, which had little to export, suffered dire shortages.

Diamonds were not mined until around 1970. Gold mining, which had been attempted earlier, had long been abandoned.

Due partly to semi-arid conditions, shortage of people with requisite skills in agriculture for sustainable agricultural development, Botswana had nothing to export and instead relied on other countries for her food supplies.

On the other hand, the economy of Zimbabwe, although sustained by an unjust political system, was world class. With agro-based industries, Zimbabwe was self-sufficient in food production and exported the surplus.

The infrastructure was well developed. Mining did well and so did tourism.
Meanwhile, the economy of Botswana sustained by mining, beef and tourism industries became competitive over time. While everybody thought the Zimbabwean economy would grow since the Chimurenga war had ended and the phase of reconstruction had gone on well, the economy suffered a major setback when Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF government redistributed land to blacks in the name of economic empowerment.

In no time, the roles changed and Botswana became a critical source of supplies to Zimbabweans who came here in floods daily to buy goods not available in their country.

The cross-border buying intensified about three years ago when Zimbabwe was hit by severe fuel shortages. While some Zimbabwean motorists came here to refuel or buy for later use, a large number obtained fuel here to resell back in Zimbabwe. Public transport in the form of buses and trains could not cope with the demand.

The demand for cross-border and Francistown to border transport in the form of trucks and vans to ferry Zimbabweans and their cargo grew when about three years ago, Zimbabwe suffered unprecedented food shortages and other items. Zimbabweans came here and still do to buy food, hair products, clothes, electrical equipment and so forth.

Many Batswana and some Zimbabweans have been obtaining BA permits and PRDP licences in growing numbers ever since the market to transport Zimbabweans became available. Although there has never been violence of xenophobic proportions as happened in South Africa between Zimbabwen job-seekers and South Africans recently, there is palpable tension between Botswana and Zimbabwean cross-border and border to border operators holding BA permits and PRDP licences and between combi and bus operators to the border with Zimbabwe or beyond on the one hand and the BA permit and PRDP holders on the other.

Superintendent Bonno Mabetha of Francistown's Kutlwano Police Station traffic section admits that there has been friction between Batswana and Zimbabwean transport operators until about September last year after 'we had held a meeting with the people concerned'.

The Botswana government gives BA permits to Botswana citizens and foreigners holding work permits. This permit allows the holder to move goods within the country.

Many Batswana transport operators feel that this type of business should be reserved for locals such that even foreigners with work permits should not be entertained.

As far as they are concerned,' Zimbabweans should operate only within the Zimbabwean borders'. Some Batswana argue that there is unfair competition between them and their Zimbabwean counterparts. For example, Zimbabwean transport operators win more customers to themselves because they and their customers come from the same country and have both language and ethnic affinity while Batswana transporters would usually communicate only in English.

Collen Obert, Zimbabwean transport operator feels that there is no need for tension between Zimbabweans and Batswana.

They strongly feel that both parties should obey the law and work professionally.
'We feel that Batswana should be more patient and not get discouraged by the small profit margins. One of the reasons why Batswana transporters are not as popular as their Zimbabwean competitors is that some Batswana abuse their customers, calling them Makwerekwere - a derogatory term reserved especially for blacks from countries to the north of Botswana,' he explains.

Several challenges, however, face the transport operators and their customers regardless of whether they are Zimbabweans or Batswana.

BA permit holders can only carry goods and not passengers. Those caught on the wrong side of the law are fined heavily.

The way out is for the transport operator to load the merchandise in his truck after each customer has labelled his or her respective items for identification. He or she then pays their combi or bus fare to the Ramokgwebana border after which he drives to the border to deliver the goods to their owners.

There are those Zimbabweans who do everything to evade the law by claiming to be buying for personal use and claiming to be family when in fact they are buying for the flee market in Zimbabwe.

These are pirates, a phenomenon which Far Ngoma, a part-time transport operator to the border decries and feels the police are not doing enough to curb.