COVID-19, Dissensus and de facto Transformation at the South Africa–Zimbabwe Border at Beitbridge

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the coronavirus-induced closure of the South Africa–Zimbabwe border at Beitbridge and its effects on informal cross-border trade activities and migration. It is based on a qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with informal cross-border traders (ICBTs), migrant workers, local informal transporters, informal cross-border transporters, bus drivers, and individual couriers (hired to transport goods across illegal border cross border points). The findings suggest that the border closure had a limited impact on ICBT and migration behavior as it led to a transformation and/or reconfiguration of how people contested the Beitbridge border. This suggests that border closures are an ineffective strategy to mitigate the effects of disasters/pandemics, such as coronavirus.

KEYWORDS:

• Borders
• southern Africa
• COVID-19

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 Umalayitsha is singular and omalayitsha is plural.

2 Interview with ICBT, September 2021.

3 Interview with ICBT, September 2021.

4 Interview with ICBT, September 2021.

5 Interview with ICBT, Augustl 2021.

6 Interview with ICBT, September 2021.

7 Interview with ICBT, September 2021.

8 Interview with ICBT, September 2021.

9 Interview with ICBT, August 2021.

10 Zalawi (singular) Zalawis (plural). This is the name of a truck company (Zalawi) which transports heavy goods across the SADC region. People were referred to as such because they carried heavy loads of goods, just like a Zalawi truck did.

11 Interview with Zalawi, September 2021.

12 Interview with Zalawi, September 2021.

13 Interview with Zalawi, August 2021.

14 Interview with Zalawi, August 2021.

15 Impisi means hyena. Given that hyenas generally hunt at night, it can be suggested that the actors in question are referred to as such because the border crossings usually occurred at night. Just like hyenas hunt at night, the cross-border actors also operated (hunted) at night and knew the safer routes to and from illegal cross border points.

16 Interview with informal cross-border transporter, September 2021.

17 Interview with informal transporter, September 2021.

18 Interview with informal transporter, August 2021.

19 Interview with informal transporter, September 2021.

20 Interview with informal transporter, August 2021.

21 Interview with cross-border transporter, August 2021.

22 Interview with Zimbabwean migrant worker, August 2021.

23 Interview with Zimbabwean migrant worker, August 2021.

24 Interview with Zimbabwean migrant worker, August 2021.

25 Interview with Zimbabwean migrant worker, September 2021.

26 Interview with Zimbabwean migrant worker, August 2021.

27 Interview with Zimbabwean migrant worker, August 2021.

28 Interview with bus driver, August 2021.

29 Interview with Zimbabwean migrant worker, September 2021.

30 Interview with Zimbabwean migrant worker, August 2021.

31 Interview with Zimbabwean migrant worker, August 2021.