The Border Jumpers

The BBC carries the story of Monica from Zimbabwe . She has joined the exodus of Zimbabweans crossing illegally into South Africa - the so called "border jumpers". Monica was driven out of her homeland by poverty, hunger, and concern for her little girl.

"The situation is very bad," she said. "We will try by all means to get jobs. We can't go back. We are starving in Zimbabwe...We've got no jobs. We can't do anything in Zimbabwe. We are suffering."

In Zimbabwe there is 80% unemployment and the world's highest inflation rate - now 2,200%. The price of corn, the staple food in Zimbabwe, has just risen by a staggering 680%.

Plenty of illegal migrants are arrested and sent home. So far this year, 57,600 have been deported to Zimbabwe, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

Today, with modern transportation and mass communications and world media , more people are motivated and able to move. The poor and disadvantaged can now see with their own eyes the wide disparity between their standard of living and that of the richer and more advantaged people in the world. They want to share in the wealth . The fortunate few may strike it lucky . But for most it is only a temporary respite before the new conditions and the new exploitation begin to wear them down again .

In Capitalism there is no real escape .