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Local entrepreneurs lack patriotism

TRINTAS MANDA*
One does not need to be a university graduate to appreciate the socio-economic impact the resurgence of xenophobia in South Africa will have on countries in the Southern African Development Community (Sadc).
On the social front, the attacks on foreign nationals will strain South Africa’s relations with other countries. The decision by the Nigerian government to recall its acting high commissioner over attacks targeting immigrants bears testimony to this.
More African countries have spoken out against the attacks and their impact on the economies of the affected States and governments. Artists such as BigNuz, Kelly Khumalo and Cassper Nyovest had concerts cancelled in Zimbabwe and London as a result of the attacks, according to Independent Online.

Malawians make only two percent of the market share in the construction industry
Malawians make only two percent of the market share in the construction industry
This only shows the level of solidarity that exists in condemning the barbaric attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa.
It is, however, important to note that the rebirth of xenophobia has brought to the fore two topics for discussions among Malawians. Why do our youths continue trekking to South Africa amid harsh treatment from the natives? Was Malawi Government justified to hire buses from the same country that is butchering our brothers and sisters?
In trying to answer the first question, I will quote what National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust executive director Ollen Mwalubunju recently wrote on his Democracy Forum column in The Nation.
Mwalubunju said xenophobia is often associated with times of economic and political instability. He said economic imbalances pull individuals towards countries with prospects of higher earnings or sheer survival, whereas political, economic and cultural tensions push many out to other countries.
Fortunately, in the history of this country, we have not witnessed political, economic and cultural tensions of high magnitude to necessitate the fleeing of people. One can, therefore, conclude that economic imbalance, and the desire for a better life are what drive people to countries with better economies such as South Africa.
President Peter Mutharika, and all well-meaning Malawians, condemned the attack. But local bus operators, consumer rights activists and the victims themselves are questioning government’s sincerity in condemning South Africa on the attacks while at the same time hiring the country’s buses to ferry our people back home.
They argue that government’s decision amounts to hypocrisy. They further argue that by hiring South African buses, our leaders are simply arming at an enemy so that he/she is able to commit more crimes on fellow Malawians. In fact, president of the Indigenous Businesses Association of Malawi (Ibam) Mike Mlombwa was quoted as saying what government did is a ‘big let-down’.
I beg to differ. Local transporters let themselves down by over-charging. It should be noted that government, through Treasury, ordered Ibam to work on logistics of repatriation of the victims from South Africa. Minister of Information, Kondwani Nankhumwa, has, on several occasions, enlightened this nation on how local transporters wanted to make a killing out of the tragedy.
Our local transporters were reportedly demanding over K8 million on each bus against the K3.3 million South African buses offered.
I should state here that I am a strong supporter of the ‘Best Buy Malawian’. However, I would be cheating if I sympathise with local transporters when they are crying out loud following government’s decision to dump them for foreign buses.
The exorbitant price tags tied to their buses are simply too restrictive for an economy that is barely supporting the needs of its people. Yes, it is government’s policy and responsibility to empower local businesses, but that should not be at the expense of the economy.
In my view, government was forced to hire South African buses to save the little that we have for the delivery of social services. I hope this will serve as a lesson to our local businesspersons that inflating prices of goods and services in the spirit of ‘get rich quick’ will not take us anywhere. You simply need patience and honesty when dealing with customers.
Otherwise, we shall continue having cases where Malawians avoid locally owned shops for foreign ones in search of better and competitive prices.
**The author is a social commentator.

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