In a period of severe economic hardship these openings keep many families fed. But they are poor compensation for the loss of Mozambique. After nearly 10 years of defending the Frelimo government against South African-sponsored insurgents before 1992, Zimbabwe has seen South Africa's rapacious exporters turn Mozambique into a captive market. Like Canada and the US, and New Zealand and Australia, Zimbabwe's relationship with its much larger neighbour reflects the complexities of intimacy tinged with envy, fear and resentment. Trade union activists want the benefits of South African democracy but not its quotas on textiles.
Business people denounce a tariff regime they see as designed to unfairly limit competition.
It's not a healthy formula for a relationship. But so long as the Limpopo remains a barrier between two contrasting political cultures and the terms of trade continue to be heavily skewed in South Africa's favour, the problems look set to persist. To many Zambians, the mention of South Africa stirs up feelings of admiration and aversion, almost in equal proportion. On the one hand, there are people who praise South Africa as a magnanimous economic powerhouse trying to spread economic benefits to backward Zambians. Such people point to the changing infrastructure, especially in the capital, Lusaka, and other major towns, that has come about as a direct result South African investment.