Infrastructure and logistics are in place for forces of occupation. Covid has given our government the excuse to have more Chinese soldiers.
China built an electric power station in Botswana. They are building another at Messina in SA near the Zimbabwean border.
All towns in South Africa and Namibia have Chinese shops, run by (probably) trained Chinese operatives.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/china-as-colonist-of-southern-africa/