ZANU-PF Spokesman, Chris Mutsvangwa Slams SA Anti-Immigration Protests as "Exploitation of the Poor by the Poor"

JOHANNESBURG/HARARE — ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa defended Zimbabwe’s economy and condemned South Africa’s anti-immigrant protests as “exploitation of the poor by the poor” during a Newzroom Afrika interview Saturday. Speaking on DStv Channel 405, Mutsvangwa said Zimbabwe is prepared to reintegrate citizens returning from South Africa amid rising tensions over illegal immigration. “Nyika yakanaka uye ine mari” (the country is good and has money) he told the broadcaster, urging nationals abroad to return home. Mutsvangwa cited gold mining and tobacco farming as key growth drivers. He claimed 2 million young Zimbabweans are now “digging gold” and said the mineral’s abundance underpins the country’s currency strength. “That’s why our currency is so strong… we can even claim that we are now stronger than the rand because we use the U.S. Dollars as our currency,” he said. He added that 182,000 registered families are producing tobacco worth “billions of U.S. dollars annually.” According to Mutsvangwa, Harare and Pretoria are putting structures in place to manage repatriation smoothly for Zimbabweans who choose to return. Addressing attacks on foreign-owned businesses and protests targeting undocumented migrants in South Africa, Mutsvangwa called the unrest an “aberration” driven by forces seeking regional control. “It’s basically an exploitation of poor people against poor people,” he said, adding that it would be defeated “like apartheid and racism before it.” He referred to ZANU-PF and South Africa’s ruling ANC as “sister parties” and called for regional cooperation on capital flows and minority rights. He proposed a “Minorities summit” in Victoria Falls to address continental challenges. "We are that generation that went out to fight the system so we know each other very well," he said. Hea added that there were currently efforts to repatriate Zimbabweans from South Africa. The remarks come as South Africa faces renewed xenophobic sentiment, with undocumented migrants, including Zimbabweans, under pressure and repatriation efforts underway. Clips of Mutsvangwa’s interview circulated widely on TikTok and X Saturday. Mutsvangwa, a liberation war veteran and former minister, framed the issue as part of a broader push for African solidarity and economic self-reliance. No immediate response from South African officials was available at the time of publication.