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"At the rate which they are flocking in, I think there will soon be very few people left in Zimbabwe," says Peter Thompson, a South African farmer.
His verdict is typical of the landowners and businessmen the length of the border with Zimbabwe who say they are witnessing
a dramatic upsurge in illegal immigration as their northern neighbour's economic collapse has accelerated in recent weeks.
In public, South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, who has been criticised for his "softly softly" approach to Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, is refusing to acknowledge any surge. But the irate farmers say senior officials in the military and police admit privately to the scale of the problem.
According to their estimates, 4000 are crossing into South Africa every night. That represents at least 100,000 people a month, far more than official estimates of 20,000.
At the last census, before the 2000 elections, Zimbabwe's population was estimated at 11 million. With life expectancy plummeting and migration surging, some sources claim that figure may now be lower than seven million.
Maggie Sotyu, an African National Congress MP who led an investigation into the influx, described the situation as "unbelievable". She said she had been told by border patrol staff that at least 5000 illegal Zimbabwean immigrants had been arrested in the past two weeks alone. And these were "only the people we manage to catch".
Andrew Gethi, chief operating officer of the International Organisation for Migration, which opened an office to assist deported Zimbabwean refugees on the northern side of the border, says the organisation is handling on average 17,000 deportees every month. But that figure is only those caught and deported by the South African authorities.
The 83-year-old Mugabe, who has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980, has announced that he will stand for another five-year term next year.
But with hyperinflation estimated at more than 10,000 per cent, the prominent Zimbabwean academic and long-time Mugabe supporter Ibbo Mandaza says that for the good of the country, Mugabe must now go.
"We cannot even begin thinking of resolving the economic crisis here as long as he remains in power. He must quit for his own good and that of the country," says Mandaza.
The Zimbabwean dollar has become so worthless that nobody will use it. Landlords such as Norah Mutasa now ask their tenants to pay rentals in kind. "Instead of giving me cash, which loses value while I hold it, I have asked tenants to give me sugar, oil, flour and salt," said Mutasa.
Instead of issuing quotations valid for 14 days, many traders now issue quotes valid for a few hours. Alfred Moyo, a bank worker, has not forgotten the day when he stood in a queue for bread and the price went up twice before he reached the teller.
Mugabe says that high prices are caused by businesses working with Britain, and are intended to sabotage his Government.
To punish the businesses, on June 25 he ordered that the cost of all goods and services in Zimbabwe be cut by half. More than 2000 businessmen defying the order had by yesterday been jailed and fined.
The result has been serious shortages of almost all basic commodities in the shops as manufacturers have stopped production. Mugabe has threatened to nationalise all the companies closing down, but he does not have the capacity to run them.
All this, coupled with increasing political violence ahead of next year's elections, means many Zimbabweans, who no longer see any hope in their country, are crossing the border.
One border official called the situation a "human tsunami".
The reality of the influx hits home on the drive along the 320km perimeter fence along the border. Though the three parallel lines of fencing are relatively intact close to the official border crossing, a few kilometres further on they have been shredded.
The night crossings are staged by trafficking gangs known as "Magumaguma", or scavengers. It has become a violent trade, with clashes between police and traffickers becoming more common.
Zimbabwean Army deserters have swelled the ranks of the Magumaguma, who have also been linked with organised criminal networks on the South African side of the border.
On numerous occasions the Magumaguma turn on the illegals they are supposed to be helping across the border, raping women, robbing them and sometimes killing them.
One farmer said a border "jumper" on his farm had been hit so hard on the head that he could see his brains through the fractured skull.
"These Magumaguma operate with such impunity that some people are suggesting that police officials are in with these gangs," said another farmer, Stewart Pienaar.
Some game farms and lodges have been attacked and robbed of guns, pumps, cables, motors, solar panels, ball valves, computers, vehicles, clothes, among many other goods.
The farmers are joining the chorus of voices calling on Mbeki to use whatever leverage he has to rein in Mugabe.
"They [politicians] say they can't erect a Great Wall of China nor switch on the electric fence. We have been abandoned to our own devices," said one of the farmers.
Armed with a three-year teacher-training certificate, a bachelor of arts degree and an MA in education, Miriam Moyo never intended to leave Zimbabwe. But when, four months ago, her monthly salary as a lecturer would not even cover a week's groceries, let alone stretch to her children's school fees, she knew she had no choice but to leave.
She crossed the border, dodging police and border guards. On arrival in South Africa, authorities informed Moyo that her area of speciality - languages - did not qualify her for a job. Only maths and science teachers were wanted. So her only option was to take a job as a waitress in a restaurant.
She works 12 hours a day, six days a week without any basic pay. Like many illegal immigrants being exploited by unscrupulous employers, she gets only tips. She makes $103 a month, sending part home to feed her family.
"This is not the life I ever dreamt of," she said. "Surely something must now give in, and bring change to our country."
- INDEPENDENT
