via We are not here to beg – Mugabe aide – Southern Eye
Pretoria – Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba has dismissed suggestions that his high-level delegation here on a state visit would ask for money from President Jacob Zuma.
Speaking on the sidelines of the official welcoming ceremony at the Union Buildings on Wednesday morning, Charamba said the Zimbabwean leader and members of his cabinet were here to seek partnerships and not hand-outs.
There has been media speculation that Zimbabwe was struggling to fund the upcoming SADC extraordinary summit it is due to host later this month, and would be seeking assistance from South Africa.
“We are a bit unhappy that we are being portrayed as coming here with a begging bowl asking for money,” said Charamba.
“The South African government knows that we are a viable state which is in fact a strong trading partner.
“So really we are talking about a viable state seeking a partnership with South Africa, not some kind of financial assistance,” he said.
“This idea of trying to be better than your neighbour is exactly what the Westerners want to see, which is us bickering about who is exploited better than the other.
“Why should we be bickering about who is a better servant, and which servant gets to sit at the master’s table?
“That is a handed-down perception of an African country, which is historically wretched. We need to outgrow that,” said Charamba.
According to Charamba, Zimbabwe was already making a significant contribution to the South African economy, and would be looking to increase this in return for South Africa also investing in Zimbabwe.
“Remember there was a time when we were the strongest trading partner with South Africa. The basis of that still remains, principally in mining.
“The drivers of that special relationship still remain. Can you imagine what South Africa’s mining industry would be like without the input of Zimbabwe?” he asked.
Charamba said one of the key issues they would be focussing on would be regulating the movement of skilled labour from Zimbabwe to South Africa, and providing a good consular service for them.
“We have quite a sizable population of Zimbabweans who are here (South Africa), not as refugees but as skilled workers who are imparting vital skills to the South African economy.
“We, therefore, need to provide a good consular service framework for the movement of labour,” he said.
South Africa and Zimbabwe are expected to sign several economic agreements on Wednesday afternoon.
COMMENTS
A few suggestions:
1) Zimbabwe formally join the Common (Rand) Monetary Area and submit to the fiscal regulations in that agreement.
2) Instead of 14 different countries, a SADC state should be formed with a single currency, single military, common borders, a single President and a single house of representatives. The individual former states would still retain certain powers to be worked out by negotiation.
You are completely crazy why would countries like South Africa and Botswana want to burden their already strained tax resources by taking under their wing a load of basket case countries whose ruling political elites have looted them of everything and anything of value?
True Kevin!!
What trade agreements can Zimbabwe enter into with SA given the non-existence of our once “Jewel of AFRICA” economy.
Probably in PHD studies in corruption practices,human rights abuses and other vices associated with ruining a once vibrant country.
Please Charamba, we are a few days off 35 years of supposed freedom and independence and you still bang on about being treated like servants and who gets to sit at the Masters table. Get a life you idiot and why don’t you and your evil regime just admit you inherited the jewel of Africa and did a dam fine job in stuffing it up.
Mugabe is begging for financial support and his tame village idiot Patrick Chinamasa wants to know why South African banks charge more to lend to Zimbabwe and Zimbabwean companies. I mean really, banks in South Africa answer to shareholders who actually demand they are properly managed. They expect the loan books are capable of being repaid with interest. The interest rate reflects the risk of lending money in and to a country whose political ruling elite have bankrupted it.
Charamba you moron, you can’t believe your own lies
Who do you think you fooling ZanuPF. WHO!
No begging bowl? Mugabe walks around with a wheelbarrow he needs so much support.
Yes and the disporia are no fools we know exactly why you are in South Africa . To beg for some money.
Calling us a “viable state” is a laugh
Two sick morons got out their ill gotten golden bed near the Broooke to beg. Look at how they walk. Look at their beggar plastic smiles. Look at the body language on display. Look at their expensive clothes hanging about their skeletons. Look how they talk.
Dhongi ramera nyanga shuwa. A whole country held to ransom by this dead horse and its typist ndonda. Then you expect that we will be a first world country… Aya ndiwo madhanana chaiwo!
“Can you imagine what South Africa’s mining industry would be like without the input of Zimbabwe?” he asked.
What input?……Maybe in terms of cheap labour in the mines.
Cann’t help buhuckle. Arrogant proclas fr a desperate state. Sure S. A should e able to read in betweene lines. ‘We are an economic nonentity, please assist in cash or kind’, that would have sounded much better and could trigger me form of action to alliviate the danger we are in.
Begging or panhandling is the practice of imploring others to grant a favor, often a gift of money, with little or no expectation of reciprocation. Beggars may be found in public places such as transport routes, urban parks, and near busy markets. Besides money, they may also ask for food, drink, cigarettes or other small items.
Stupidity is a lack of intelligence, understanding, reason, wit or sense.
Stupidity may be innate, assumed or reactive – a defence against grief or trauma.
Come on South Africa Give us 100% and we’ll give you back 49% after you have done all the work Now that sounds like a good deal ZANU PF style
OH bite me PLEASE