The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in partnership with SABC's SAFM radio station held a successful joint talk show at Ultra City Service station at Beitbridge border post on Monday last week, in which several issues affecting Zimbabwe and South Africa were brought into the spotlight.
The show, which was broadcast live, mainly centered on why Zimbabweans wanted to leave their country and in the process risk their lives, whether South Africans should support Zimbabweans entering the country illegally and the issue of a xenophobic attitude against Zimbabweans by South Africans.
Among the issues on the agenda were also whether the South African Government should be supportive of illegal immigrants from that country by changing the desperate situation in the neighboring country and the issue of citizens' arrests on Zimbabwean illegal immigrants by farmers along the border area.
Most of the Zimbabweans who were part of the audience said they fled their country due to the economic situation, characterized by perennial food shortages, and the deteriorating social services, due to poor government funding. Most Zimbabweans, especially those residing in Beitbridge, now rely on Musina for shopping and medication as shop shelves back home are virtually empty, following the introduction of a price cut blitz by the government in August. Essential drugs are also in short supply in local hospitals, forcing ill Zimbabweans to resort to treatment at Musina Hospital.
"I fled Zimbabwe as life that side is unbearable and right now there is no food, electricity and adequate clean water, because there is no foreign currency to import chemicals to purify it, so I had no option but to leave the country and now I am happily settled in South Africa, although illegally of course," said Damaine Mpofu of Bulawayo.
Another Zimbabwean, Moses, who was not using his real name during the show, said there was a need for the South African government to intervene and save the people of Zimbabwe by persuading President Robert Mugabe to step down ahead of next year's elections.
A councilor from the Musina Municipality, Gen Gabriel Ramushwana, was quick to respond: "Why is it that South Africa should always intervene in the crisis in Zimbabwe, yet there are other countries such as Ghana, Mozambique and Zambia who could also intervene? Is it that we are the big brothers or what, because I believe Zimbabwe is a sovereign country and therefore people there must solve their own problems without necessarily being told what to do by other countries."
The show presenters, who included Xolani Gwala, popularly known in SABC1's Asikhulume, had a torrid time as they frantically made efforts to cater for both the audience at the studio and outside callers, some from as far as Canada and the United Kingdom.
Other invited guests included local farmers, the Musina business community and representatives from the Musina Legal Advice Centre and the Department of Health and Social Services.
One of the farmers along the border with Zimbabwe, who preferred to remain anonymous, also reiterated that they would continue to arrest illegal immigrants entering South Africa through their farms, saying they were destroying their properties. "We can't watch helplessly as Zimbabweans destroy our farm properties, even if we know it is against the law because we just have to protect our land. So the arrests are justified," he said.
The programme, which was co-produced by BBC and SABC, was also broadcast live on the BBC's World Have Your Say interactive programme.