Many commenters on the subject of Southern African Development Community (SADC) intergration suggest that SADC pursue its intergration the same way that the European Community (EC) was intergrated - through long drawn out negotiations. I disagree.
Most of the European nations are "natural" entities. They evolved from distinct tribal formations with distinct economic functionalities. It was to be expected that intergration on their part would require serious economic and cultural interventions.
Most if not all, of the "countries" that comprise SADC are colonial contraptions that seldom found acceptance among the "natural" SADC national entities. Many "borders" of those countries cut right accross "natural" nations in the SADC. Indeed the economic needs of the colonial powers often compelled them to overlook the artificial "boundaries" that they themselves had imposed. A "native" mine labourer from Mozambique was never compelled to relocate from the Witwatersrand back to Mozambique. Consequently the struggle by African labour, against exploitation by capital, initially did not follow colonial boundaries; it was only so directed when the colonialists started "granting" independence to some of the artificial SADC "countries". The African National Congress (ANC) was formed by political activists from many, if not all, SADC countries!
In my view, SADC "intergration" can best be achieved by a new SADC-wide political movement, with a united SADC-wide leadership. To survive censure and persecution by SADC countries, the movement will have to be pragmatic and acknowledge the presence, if not the legality of the colonial boundaries. It will have to take part in the elections in each SADC country, while openly campaigning for an unconditional union of all the coutries where it wins elections.
Let the best (wo)man win!
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