Prayers Mposa Nyathi

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced that from today, Zimbabweans will go to Botswana only using an Identity Card and won’t need a passport. This deal is with immediate effect but subject to the immigration officials from both countries getting the official instruction. The agreement is reciprocal, so citizens of Botswana will also go to Zimbabwe without needing a passport but only an Identity Card. This must be seen for what it is, it is a shrewd business and commercial decision on the part of Botswana to lure Zimbabwean traders away from Musina to Francis Town. Zimbabwe’s manufacturing industries collapsed a long time ago, so it relies for basic things like tooth picks and toilet paper from mainly South Africa. Botswana wants a part of that trade in Francis Town. Botswana has done a similar deal with Namibia too! Recently South Africa also made a business decision to extend the permits of Zimbabweans on the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) cognisant if the effect on business were it not extended. Many Zimbabweans are doing jobs that many South Africans don’t want to do for the low wage paid. So the big winner in today’s deal is Botswana because it will be collecting trade dollars, very few Tswanas go to Zimbabwe except to visit family and not to buy anything.