IT is sad to note that the title of the novel Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton which represents the chaos, destruction, and corruption in apartheid South Africa, is significant even today because the nation’s history is still having some effect in post-apartheid South Africa.
After keeping our South African brothers here during the fight to dismantle the apartheid system that was ushered in by the National Party when it ascended to power in 1948, we feel our nationals have been treated shabbily down south.
Going down south is not an advice that you can give one since foreigners including Zambians are treated as Makwerekweres-spongers, milking the resources of the country.
Being identified as a Mukwerekwere can be fatal since you can be robbed or even be killed.
Here we are being told that Zambians travelling to South Africa, particularly to meet church leaders have been put on high alert to avoid circumstances of being swindled.
This is a timely wake up call for Zambians travelling to that country to ensure that they make adequate arrangements before setting off on a trip.
Footloose Zambians heading south should heed Mr Shabolyo’s warning since unlike in the past, the amended South African Immigration Act now prohibits foreigners from applying for temporary residence permits while in that country.
The amendment of the same Act means there has been an increase in the administrative fines imposed on people contravening the Act.
Even before the signing of the Act, our association with South Africa has been a love-hate relationship.
Sometime back, the then ceremonial vice-president Guy Scott was said to be avoiding going to or passing through South Africa following his much publicised insults of South Africans.
And Zambians living in South Africa have continued living in fear from the time Scott said South Africans were backward.
The irresponsible statement made Zambians in South Africa become reluctant to disclose their nationalities in front of South Africans.
In one week, a total of 87 Zambians where sent back at Beit Bridge border after being denied entry into South Africa for not having yellow fever books and for having old yellow fever books even if the documents were valid but lacked a deep yellow in colour.
Since South Africa amended its Immigration Act which was subsequently signed into law by President Jacob Zuma on May 16, 2014, things have been tough for Zambians and nationals from other African countries.
A classic example of the consequences of the amendment Act is when seven members of the Zambia under 20 Women National Soccer team were prevented from proceeding beyond the immigration check point at Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
The seven who had arrived with other team members on the 9:20 hours flight from Lusaka, were only allowed to proceed six hours later after the High Commission engaged the South African Home Affairs authorities.
Zambia’s High Commissioner – Designate to South Africa  Emmanuel Mwamba advised Zambians travelling to that country to take time to consult extensively on the new immigration laws.
Unlike other African countries where one is free, visiting South Africa calls for vigilance both from overzealous officials or criminals taking advantage of a foreigner.
Until things are rectified, the advice for now is to take precautions when heading south.