Zimbabwe - it's the devil you know

I saw a bus marked Harare heading out of Simon's Town today. Not the capital of Zimbabwe but Harare in Khayelitsha, a sprawling Cape Town suburb. It was a reminder of how many Zimbabweans you meet here, to say nothing of the Congolese, Malawians and more. Years ago we had a gardener, quaintly named Million, who was originally from Plumtree in southern Zim. He actually had a permanent residence permit to live in SA, unlike many Zimbabweans who have simply skipped the border and found work. Speak to any Zimbabwean and he'll tell you that he'd love to go back. But not yet! So long as president Bob Mugabe is still there, raping and pillaging the economy, most would rather stay here, even if they do pine for home. Mugabe is set to become the only current state leader to have attained the ripe old age of 90, following his latest landslide victory in Zim's snap election. This really is a case of sticking with the devil you know.... Of course, there are emigrants all over the world who talk of going home and often don't. In London, we first became aware of the strong Polish presence in the late 1990s when big Polish newspaper bills started appearing outside local newsagents. Polish is now the second most widely spoken language. Afrikaans-speaking South Africans used to be few and far between. On the tube, you would hear them sharing all sorts of indiscretions about London, the Brits and all, secure in the knowledge that no one would understand them (or hardly anyone!) These days it's less common because there are so many more around. The QSL is from the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, pre-independence, heard on 998 kHz medium wave in Cape Town in 1967. The beautiful Sable antelope adorns the card.