How Ian Smith busted sanctions

WHEN the British Government under Harold Wilson imposed sanctions against Ian Smith in the late 1960s the effect was opposite the assumptions.

The assumptions were that in a few weeks Vehicles mainly owned by white people would ground to a halt as they ran out of fuel after the closure of the Beira pipeline, that exports of tobacco from the tobacco auction floors and from British and American tobacco processing companies would cease as the products would be banned on the shelves all over the world , coffee from the Eastern Highlands, beef from CSC, mining equipment at the Anglo American nickel and other mines, Lonrho copper, asbestos and gold mines would stop eventually as machine parts were held up by sanctions.

Flights of Air Rhodesia to and from London would be stopped, textile products from David Whitehead, Gatooma Weaving and others would stockpile in the dispatch areas.

It was anticipated that RLI and RAR and Selous Scouts and Grey Scouts army vehicles would run out of parts and fuel. It was hoped that the Banks would be affected as Money which was printed in Germany would grow old and unusable. That the Reserve Bank of Rhodesia without balance of payments would become unmanageable.

It was hoped that borders would be closed so trade would be thwarted as imports and exports dried up. There was even thought that telephones would not go out of the country as international exchanges refused to accept or send calls through. It was thought that God would withhold rain from heaven as part of sanctions.

NOT SO

The well organized machinery of Ian Smith quickly put in place counter measures to sanctions. In fact before they declared UDI they held several ‘indabas’ to discuss the effects and measures to fight sanctions.

The book by the former CIO chief in Smith’s government gives details.

Firstly the British knew that the Rhodesian economy belonged to and was completely under the control of white people who were mainly of British descent or citizenry. They left loopholes in each of the issues under sanctions. The Rhodesians knew this and took full advantage of it.

South Africa was not expected to participate in the sanctions and thereby became the first route of more than survival, but consolidated its position as main trading partner. The South African army (defense force) SANDF operated alongside Rhodesia Combined Ops.

Balance of Payment support was negotiated and put in place between Pretoria and Salisbury. The British at one time were forced to activate a naval blockade at Beira Port to give the impression that they were stopping fuel being offloaded. Within six months they quietly stopped instead the Beira Corridor was born and was effective until many years later when ZANLA operations put a stop to it after Samora Machel took over the governance of Mozambique—by which time South Africa had allocated the port of Durban for goods destined for Salisbury.

The bulk of manufacturers including tobacco processing companies opened Swiss bank accounts through which international trade was carried out with accounts that were in demand by Swiss bankers because of the efficiency with which these were operated. Balance of payments was partly solved by the securing of loans as if these were for Switzerland.

Companies, for instance insurance companies, who needed specialist services like reinsurance simply relocated their “head quarters” or offices under new names in appropriate cities of the world and became more efficient and effective. The kith and kin connections were utilized in many instances like the Whites who were related to people at the manufacturing or export plats of vehicle and other machinery would place orders and import through individuals Dodge space vans, Japanese Nissan autos, Mercedes Benz from Germany even the army regularly replenished their equipment.

The manufacturers worked closely with government officials to facilitate all aspects of trade. Bogus front companies were set up by the government to bust sanctions on many fronts with offices in South Africa and the Bantustans of South Africa.

Occasionally things got out of hand when funds would be abused and rumours would circulate of sons of key ministers would be sighted like Wrathalls and other individuals who of course took advantage and made fortunes.

Rhodesia became self reliant in many aspects because technology transfer became acceptable as Japan sent CKD kits to keep the vehicle assemblies open and several European countries joined in not wanting to lose business.

The problem with the Zanu PF government is two-fold. Firstly it is Black people wanting to be sovereign and that goes against the grain, so the kith and kin synergy does not exist.

Secondly the self-demeaning ‘Pull Him Down Syndrome’ leading to self destruct attitude which Africans still harbour as evidenced by those among us who fail to see that Whitehall and Whitehouse do not have good intentions for Zimbabwe, but only control of people, parties, governments and ultimately resources.

But, Zimbabweans can turn the gun around by getting down in unity of purpose and beating the sanctions with the help of our neighbours, and the eastern countries.

One thing is for sure our children must be persuaded to support the struggle. This struggle is the same as waged by Cecil Rhodes beginning of 20th Century. Sanctions or no sanctions Zimbabwe must not become a colony again.