With concerns there increasing so rapidly the question raised, and subsequent comment could have been published in London. Instead, the newspaper’s headline, ‘Botswana: Land of the Foreigner’ suggested that similar concerns, although of a very different order, are now being shared in this country although, only a short time ago, it was invariably written off as drought prone, without surface water, and valued natural resources, infertile and hot. In sum, a country which historically had little appeal to outsiders apart from refugees and the ever land-hungry Afrikaners. Forget the unusual method by which this particular conclusion was reached because it is the sentiment which is of such interest.
This, seemingly supported by officially released statistics suggested to the author that this country has been overrun by foreigners from all parts of the world. His comments reflect a genuine concern which is perhaps reflected by a Gaborone which is, without doubt today, a multi-national, multi-ethnic city. If there are easily identifiable immigrants there and in other parts of the country, however, they are impoverished black Zimbabweans and comfortably endowed white South Africans.
