All eyes are on the elections in Zimbabwe right now. The voting was done on Saturday but everyone is still awaiting for the results to be announced. The delay is causing a lot of tension not only in Zimbabwe but here in South Africa. The results of these elections will play a part in determining South Africa’s own destiny.

It seems like this is going to be a tightly contested presidential election between the current leader, Robert Mugabe and rivals Morgan Tsvangirai and Simba Makoni. Under Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s economy has been falling under freefall over the last couple of years. The inflation in Zimbabwe is currently 100 000%. Now in South Africa we are worried about a 9.4% inflation rate. Can you imagine how Zimbabwe must be feeling? There is literally no fuel in Zimbabwe, one has to pay obscene amount to source it. In South Africa we are set to almost pay R9 a litre as of tomorrow (Wednesday). At least we still have fuel readily available in our service stations whereas there is none in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe gets plunged into days with out electricity whilst we are on the verge of experiencing load shedding to help ease our own electricity shortages. There is no water in Zimbabwe. South Africa still has water, for now.

A change is needed in Zimbabwe and a change would be beneficial to the people of Zimbabwe together with South Africa. There is no denying the fact that Zimbabwe is a huge trading partner with Zimbabwe. And if the Zimbabwe economy is good, South Africa can only benefit.

The fear right now is that, President Robert Mugabe could ‘steal’ the election and declare himself the winner amidst fear that the opposition would have democratically won the vote. If only the elections were free and fair then we could really know who the people want as their leader. A lot of Zimbabweans have left their country with many now in South Africa. The majority of them want to go back home but can not and will not as long as Mugabe is the leader.

It is high time the Zimbabwe dollar regains its value and becomes a meaningful currency like it was in the 80’s and 90’s. How great would it be to come into South Africa with your Zimbabwe dollars and be able to exchange them for Rands at an acceptable rate in a bank? And be able to go to Zimbabwe with your Rands and freely walk into a bank in Zimbabwe and get value for your money without having to go into a dark alley and exchanging your Rands with a man in a trench coat.

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