President Cyril Ramaphosa was in Harare, Zimbabwe this week for the Official Opening of the Zimbabwe Agriculture Show. He was a guest of honour and was welcomed by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa for a working visit. The purpose of the Zimbabwe Agriculture Show as an annual event is meant to be a platform to facilitate and promote agricultural development in the country. The Zimbabwe Agriculture Society is responsible for organizing the event.
This year, the show will be celebrating its 130th Anniversary since its founding in 1895 and will run under the theme “Building Bridging: Connecting Agriculture, Industry and Commerce”. In 2024, the show attracted 570 exhibitors, including 13 international exhibitors. About 230 000 visitors visited the show last year.
The visit will also provide the President with an opportunity to solidify the cordial relations that exist between South Africa and Zimbabwe, particularly in the economic sector. “The Zimbabwe Agricultural Show will also help promote intra-regional trade and economic integration within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. “Zimbabwe is one of South Africa’s main trading partners in the SADC region. In 2024, South Africa exported R 69,21 billion worth of goods and merchandise to Zimbabwe compared to R 57,5 billion in 2023. Vegetables were the main exports and contributed R11,9 billion to the total exports to Zimbabwe,” the Presidency said on Friday.
It is all well and good to have cordial relations for South Africa with its neighbours. Zimbabwe is of particular importance since the governing African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa sees it as a close ally. However, one should be weary of a leader like Mnangagwa whose nickname is “crocodile”. Not all South Africans are thrilled about the blossoming trade and diplomatic relationship between South Africa and Zimbabwe. The Democratic Alliance (DA), the second largest partner in the Government of National Unity came out denouncing the trip and Ramaphosa’s support and praise for Zimbabwe’s “land reforms” as showing approval for land grabs. On the other hand, Ramaphosa has shown no appetite for Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu-PF regime relinquishing their rule over Zimbabwe. South Africa could play a crucial role in changing Zimbabwe’s authoritarian course. Ramaphosa’s reluctance to pressure Mnangagwa to end gross human rights abuses, even privately shows some worrying concerns about his own motives.
The Zanu-PF regime also has plans for a R533 million infrastructure development upgrade for its railway lines linking it to South Africa. This is a courtesy of China Railway International Group.
NRZ Public Relations and Stakeholder Manager Andrew Kunambura confirmed that the feasibility study has been completed and a report will be presented. The project forms part of Zimbabwe’s broader rail strategy involving 11 private companies. South Africa’s Grindrod deployed three locomotives and 150 wagons through its Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway subsidiary since March 2024 China remains Zimbabwe’s largest investor with total investments exceeding $4.4 billion. In 2024 alone, trade between the two countries reached US$3.8 billion — a 24% increase from the previous year. The railway investment addresses Zimbabwe’s push to achieve its $12 billion mining industry target by improving mineral transport to Mozambique and South African ports for Asian markets. Funding mechanisms remain undisclosed, though analysts expect Chinese loans and contractor financing arrangements, adding to Zimbabwe’s existing debt obligations to Chinese entities.
The formal announcement was initially planned for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in August but has been delayed pending final negotiations.
The connection between South Africa and Zimbabwe over railway shows the dependency of Harare on Pretoria. Ramaphosa if he cares about the future of Zimbabweans and the relationship, they will have with South Africans should use the economic relationship to pressure Mnangagwa and his regime to introduce meaningful reform. The time for change is now. This railway infrastructure upgrade and development highlights the importance of South Africa’s connection to Zimbabwe and its role as a major gateway to southern Africa’s thoroughfares. South Africa is the conduit between China and inland southern African nations like Zimbabwe. Yes, fractured Mozambique is also an outlet for this free trade network. But South Africa still has the resources and infrastructure necessary to be a pillar of dynamic change. Beijing for its part has been knee-deep in utilizing Africa for its raw materials.
But South Africa as a member of BRICS can be the rudder that can steer Zimbabwe to a prosperous future if Ramaphosa is willing to do so. If not then a bleak and complicit silence will surround the relationship between the two neigbours.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
