Border jumpers
As Border Jumpers ( "Limits of Springer") are Zimbabweans called that illegally cross the borders of their country in order to Botswana , Zambia and especially after South Africa to arrive. The reasons for this phenomenon are the repressive political climate and the poor economic situation with food shortages and around 80% unemployment in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe . The exact number of border jumpers is not known, but it is estimated at well over 1000 per day for South Africa.
In 2005 an estimated 1.2 million Zimbabweans lived in South Africa. Overall, the number of emigrants is estimated at up to three million or a quarter of the Zimbabwean population.
South Africa and Botswana are trying to stem the influx of Zimbabweans with border fences, police checks and repatriations. Botswana deported 36,000 Zimbabweans in 2004. From the beginning of 2007 to May of the same year, around 57,600 were repatriated from South Africa to Zimbabwe. In many cases, they try to cross the border again soon after. While around 1,000 Zimbabweans are repatriated from South Africa every day, up to 3,000 cross the border.
For the participating tractor business with is Border Jumpers profitable.