South Africa betrayed Zimbabwe’s democratic struggle

By David Mbinga

South Africa nursed the Zmbabwean political crisis right from its infancy in the late 90s. Every decision that South Africa took towards the Zimbabwean crisis was not aimed at delivering rule of law and democracy which its citizens have never tasted since their so called independence was attained in 1980.

The South African government focussed its energies on maintaining the good ties the ruling ANC had with ZANU PF and also making sure that Zanu PF’s brutal government clings on to power against the will of the people of Zimbabwe. In 2002 Jacob “Shower Man” Zuma then the ANC vice president congratulated Robert Mugabe on his “election” as the Zimbabwean president and endorsed the elections as free and fair.

So “Mr Shower Man” what is this NOW emerging out of the Kamphepe report? What a shame! In 2008 Thabo Mbeki was qouted saying that there was no crisis in Zimbabwe whilst opposition party supporters were being brutalised with no election results announced barely a month after the elections and our grandmothers and grandfathers being frog marched to attend Zanu PF rallies.

South Africa first distanced itself from being part of the solution to the Zimbabwean political crisis before it finally decided to play its “big brother” role and in that process, nicodemously betraying the people of Zimbabwe by creating a monster called the GNU under the guise of the so called “quiet diplomacy”.

Below are the quotes from a number of South African and ANC top officials commenting on the Zimbabwean crisis. You won’t be surprised about the ANC led government’s actions of attempting to block the publishing of the Kamphepe report.

"It is not in my nature to correct, run and monitor
presidents of other countries. It is not the duty of this
country to do so. If South Africa were to comment on
every other president in the world, I am sure we would be
a mad country." November 1 2000 (Jacob Zuma answering
questions in the National Assembly)

 "Zimbabwe is a democracy with a democratically elected
government. We cannot only believe in the ballot box when
it suits us. Let us leave the internal politics of our
neighbours to the people of those countries but always
reaffirming our commitment to justice, freedom of
expression and the rule of law." February 27 2001. (Tony
Yengeni on the Situation in Zimbabwe, from a speech in
the house)

 "The ANC has historic links with Zanu (PF) — they fought
the same liberation struggle against colonialism and
racism." February 27 2001. (Tony Yengeni, on the
Situation in Zimbabwe, from a speech in the house)

"A collapse of Zimbabwe would not only be disastrous for
Zimbabwe but would be disastrous for us, so we can’t
afford ... a complete breakdown. I don’t know how we will
cope with it." May 31 2001. (President Thabo Mbeki, in an
interview with the UK’s Guardian newspaper)

"I am saying this as forcefully as I am because the
developments in Zimbabwe are affecting us and stressing
us unnecessarily." August 23 2001. (Reserve Bank governor
Tito Mboweni referring to the critical situation in
Zimbabwe. Mboweni said he had decided to "break my
silence" because the leadership in Zimbabwe appeared not
to understand diplomatic language and it was "time to
call a spade a spade", quoted by Reuters)

"We never colonised Zimbabwe." November 30 2001.
(President Thabo Mbeki, indicating that Britain should
play a leading role in resolving Zimbabwe’s land crisis.
He also stated that Zimbabwe had unfairly "fallen into
our (South Africa’s) lap" and that "We (South Africa)

never made a commitment about land in Zimbabwe", quoted
in the Financial Times.)

"We’ve said before that we are not ‘South Zimbabwe’,
we’re South Africa, nor are they ‘North South Africa’,
they’re an independent country." December 27 2001.
(Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, urging people not to see
Zimbabwe as part of South Africa)

"The African National Congress congratulates the people
of Zimbabwe for a successful 2002 presidential election."
March 13 2002. (ANC statement)

"Free and fair." March 14 2002. (Deputy President Jacob
Zuma’s description of Zimbabwe's controversial
presidential election despite a condemnation of the polls
by Commonwealth observers, ZBC state television reported)

"Amandla! We sent observers here, who were observing each
and every detail. They have reported ... the elections
were legitimate, are valid. They were free and fair and
we have got to respect that." March 15 2002 (Deputy
President Jacob Zuma, said with President Robert Mugabe,
after hugging and exchanging clenched-fist salutes, from
the Daily Telegraph)

"The high voter turnout in both rural and urban areas,
determination and patience displayed by the people during
the election was commendable. These elections have shown
how the people of Zimbabwe value democratic processes."
March 13 2002. (Smuts Ngonyama, ANC statement)

"They say quiet diplomacy has failed. Should we act like
Ariel Sharon? Should we? Should we just go in there; kick
butt; blow them up; drive over their cars ... should we
send in our tanks? If there are alternative solutions,
let’s hear what they are." May 19 2002. (Finance Minister
Trevor Manuel, saying the government had little choice
but using diplomatic channels in dealing with Zimbabwe)

"What is it that we are expected to do?" August 15 2002.
(Deputy Foreign Affairs Minster Aziz Pahad, admitting the
government had run out of ideas on Zimbabwe and
suggesting there was nothing more it could do, quoted in
the Cape Argus)

"All you are doing is putting the fear of democracy into
minorities in our country." August 22 2002. (Deputy
Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad, accusing opposition
politicians of being subversive by criticising the South
African government for its silence on the Zimbabwean
crisis)

"We are not Zimbabwe. We believe in property rights. We
believe in the importance of the rule of law." August 22
2002. (Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni)

"The honourable member has a problem, a very serious and
arrogant problem of thinking that one can move from one
country and run the affairs of other countries. That is
very arrogant. The South African government cannot go to
some country and say: why are you mistreating this
particular farmer? September 11 2002 (Jacob Zuma,
answering questions in the National Assembly)

"If I were to ask a question, it would be: What is it
about Zimbabwe that makes everybody feel so agitated? I
do not know." November 13 2002 (Jacob Zuma, answering
questions in the National Assembly)

"We are not in the business of condemning countries
because it is not our business to run other countries."
March 2 2005 (Jacob Zuma, answering questions in the
National Assembly)

"The Europeans often ignore the fact that Mugabe is very
popular among Africans. In their eyes, he has given
blacks their country back after centuries of
colonialism.... The people love him. So how can we condemn
him?" December 20 2006 (Jacob Zuma in an interview with
German magazine Der Spiegel)

This clearly shows that the solution to our crisis is in our hands. I am truly convinced that the way Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF are mis-managing our beloved country is not what the late Cdes e.g. Herbert Chitepo, Nikita Mangena, Edgar Tekere, Edson Zvobgo and many more fought for.

In the ANC the presence of principled veteran nationalists like Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela and many others is greatly missed.