The Beitbridge–Mussina Interface: Towards Flexible Citizenship, Sovereignty and Territoriality at the Border

Located at the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe, the Beitbridge border post aptly demonstrates border citizenship from below. Established as a result of the London Convention of 1884, the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe finds expression at the Beitbridge border post. However, Venda-speaking people on both sides of the border post who were “separated” when the border was drawn have always engaged in dynamic and agentive ways that defy the existence of the border. This interaction pre-dated and survived the colonial and apartheid years in the then Southern Rhodesia and South African Republic, respectively. After both countries attained independence, they have remained blind to the reality of border citizens. Consequently, the fact that Venda-speaking people have—against strict and successive regulatory regimes from colonial to postcolonial times—“defied” the border and continue to do so, establishes a case of their being de facto border citizens. This not only challenges the inflexible territoriality of citizenship at both the South African and Zimbabwean borders, but also presents a compelling case for the recognition of border citizens and the granting of easy and controlled movement based on best practices in other parts of the world.