I have travelled and lived in many countries in the SADC region. In the process I observed certain interesting aspects of relationships between the peoples of this region.
Namibians have a long standing relationship with South Africa, as a former colonial power. Despite this colonial relationship, I have never really been able to sense any friction or deslike of each other or jealousy of sorts between the two nations. The two countries share communities who straddle their mutual borders, and speak similar languages. Afrikaans is the main language of communication between people at an official level. Afrikaans is also a main South African language. Nobody finds this a problem.
In Botswana, also because of colonial borders, the Batswana communities straddle the two countries' mutual border. Either side (the North West province in SA) they speak Setswana, they do understand each other, and this is no problem.
In Lesotho, the whole country is surrounded by South Africa. The people of the two countries speak the same language, especially in the Free state, and nobody finds this a problem.
In Swaziland, the country is party surrounded by South Africa and shares a border with Mozambique. They speak isiSwati in Swaziland and the same language is spoken in Mpumalanga province in South Africa, and there is no problem.
In Mocambique, the country shares a border with South Africa, people in Xai Xai speak isiZulu, the language spoken in KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa, and within the Gaza region people speak isiShangaan, the same language spoken in South Africa's former Gazankulu homeland, now part of the Limpopo province, around Tzaneen and Giyani, and there is no problem.
Now come to Zimbabwe. Matebeleland North, Matebeleland South and parts of the Midlands province speak, in the main isisNdebele, a language similar, close and originating from isiZulu, spoken in kwaZulu Natal province of South Africa, and there is a PROBLEM, mara WHY?
The Mthwakazi provinces also share with South Africa, Sotho, Shangani and Venda languages.Politicians, Mugabe included, and the ordinary Shona, mainly from the other parts of the country and unfortunately some among the Mthwakazi have a problem with these historical links, but WHY?
My own observations have been that, of all Mzansi's neighbours, it is only in Zimbabwe where this is a problem, BUT WHY?
UMthwakazi is accused left right and centre of apping South Africans, as if there is anything wrong with that, given that we talking about fellow Africans here; wanting to be South Africans, border jumping and always thinking iJozi, iJozi all the time. All these accusations ignore the fact that the South African phenomenon has always attracted, almost all fellow Africans up to the North. Today we have lots of the Shona people here, but the finger is always pointed at the Mthwakazi. Harare itself has a place named Jorbug Lines, and the people who live there are not Mthwakazi. Mugabe despite his own jealousy of Thabo Mbeki, Nelson Mandela and everything South African, studied in Fort Hare, in apartheid South Africa, and oNyagumbo even changed their names whilst living and working here to Zulu names. Many Shona notwithstanding the deslike they have of the Mthwakazi/Mzansi links have taken up citizenship of Mzansi and are not even embarrased of trying to learn isiZulu/Ndebele late in their lives (given the fact that they have the language back home) after all the past 26 years of pretending the language was rubbish in their Zimbabwe.
Mugabe himself emulates and apes the British, Mthwakazi can keep their pride as we associate ourselves with fellow Africans. There is nothing to be embarrased about, and I have no regrets! As for the attituded of some South Africans, who cares, thats their problem. Let them learn our African history, and not Bantu apartheid history!
iZimbabwe ayidlisi, maybe when we achieve uMthwakazi yes, but okwamanje nikks! I dont need Harare with kwaBulawayo, JOZI, Ikapa and eThekwini nearby!
ZABALAZA!
Zwakala Mthwakazi!
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