Some South Africans Call For Ban On Zimbabweans After Arrest Of Copper Cable Thief

The arrest of a Zimbabwean man in South Africa for allegedly stealing copper cables has generated a heated online debate. Some individuals have called for a ban on all Zimbabweans from travelling or residing in South Africa as a result of this incident. However, others have come to the defence of Zimbabweans, arguing that it is unfair to judge an entire group of people based on the actions of a few individuals.

The debate emanated from a social media post by PSAFLIVE, an independent online news channel. The news outlet posted:

The Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens from the Eastern Infrastructure Unit together with Gauteng Traffic Police have arrested an illegal Zimbabwean male whom they found in possession of suspected stolen City Power Cables at Primrose in Germiston. The suspect has been arrested and detained at Primrose SAPS.

Some people suggested that all Zimbabweans should be banned from entering South Africa and that those already there should be forced to leave. Said Lungs @Lungs_star:

At this point we must ban all the Zimbos from entering SA, and banish all those that are already here.

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Others have voiced concerns about Zimbabweans and other foreigners living in South Africa, claiming that their activities and livelihoods are unknown. Others called for a thorough clean-up of South Africa, emphasising the need for politicians to prioritise the country’s interests. Others said Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) should be made aware of these criminal activities. Malema supports a borderless Africa and argues that Zimbabweans too should be allowed in South Africa.

Those defending Zimbabweans have highlighted that every society has both good and bad people, and it is wrong to generalise and stigmatise an entire nationality because of the actions of a few. Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono emphasised the need to separate criminal behaviour from the broader Zimbabwean community. He responded to the post:

Every society has good and bad people. You can’t paint every Zimbabwean as a bad person because of a few bad Zimbabweans that have committed crimes in South Africa. There are Zimbabweans who have run banks, companies like MTN, have invested millions in South Africa and have contributed to South African sports. I own property in South Africa, I have invested there since 2008, I am not a criminal. So I don’t know why I should be only identified through the lenses of bad Zimbabweans and not the good ones. It is the duty of South African police to arrest everyone who commits a crime in South Africa, it is the duty of South African immigration to uphold the laws of your country. When both fail as you insinuate, deal with your government instead of insulting us online. I am not an illegal immigrant when I enter your borders, I enter through your airports because your laws allow me to do so. I have never used a penny of South African public money, instead my investments pay tax which funds your hospitals that I don’t use. So why should I be asked to account for the actions of a few bad Zimbabweans who have committed crimes when I have always been an upright global citizen each time I am in your country?

Chin’ono also highlights that as long as South Africa continues to support rigged elections in Zimbabwe and undermine alternative political players, the immigration issue will persist. He emphasises that defending a corrupt electoral system next door and then complaining about the consequences is hypocritical. The ANC, which is the ruling party in South Africa, has been known to support ZANU PF, the ruling political party in Zimbabwe. ZANU PF is accused of being corrupt and running the country’s economy into the ground. As a result, many Zimbabweans have been forced to leave their country and go abroad in search of better opportunities. 

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