South Africa-Zambia Relations: How Has Our Shared History Helped Us?

About a week ago, I put up a piece which intended to compare the crime rates between South Africa and Zambia, I figured it was unfair to do so without giving somewhat of a ‘context’ on these two countries so here we are today, looking at relations between the two states. As with all African states with the exception of Ethiopia and Liberia, Zambia and South Africa share a common history: colonialism. This has influenced and shaped the politics of the country itself as well as how it relates to its counterparts. 

The former protectorate of Northern Rhodesia was not exempt from an inevitable name-change, in 1964, Northern Rhodesia, Barotseland and the Kingdom of the Lozi people merged to form one independent sovereign state named Zambia (after the Zambezi River). 16 years later, in 1980, the country hosted the formation of the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC), which later reformed into the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a Regional Economic Community which now boasts 16 member states. 

South Africa went through a similar route; its four colonies (the Cape, Natal, Orange Free State and Transvaal) merged and became known as the Union of South Africa in 1910 and it later changed to the Republic of South Africa in 1961 although it was only 33 years after (1994) that it became a democratic and non-racist society, well at least on paper and could thus become a member of SADC. 

Although bilateral relations between these countries were ‘formalised’ in 1992, their history runs far beyond that, Zambia supported the African National Congress (ANC) in its pursuit for freedom from the apartheid government. It is therefore not surprising that due to a shared history and similar political ideologies have cordial relations and similar stances on the improvement and advancement of the African continent in general and the Southern African region in particular. 

Although the Covid-19 pandemic has had significant negative impacts even on the most developed nations which has led to trade disruptions throughout the world and a shrinking economy for the most vulnerable of states, South Africa and Zambia continue to strengthen their economic relations with President Hakainde Hichilema paying a courtesy visit to Pretoria early this year. 

South Africa’s belief in and pursuit of a united one-currency continent and an eradication of borders has led to a friendly agreement between these two states that Zambian citizens are permitted to visit South Africa for 90 consecutive days visa-free. This not only shows a commitment to an African renaissance but a strong re-enforcement of the strengthening of relations and trade in African state amongst themselves.