SA refuses to join calls for Mugabe to quit

President Kgalema Motlanthe refused on Wednesday to join calls for Robert Mugabe to quit, expressing hope that Zimbabwe’s stalled power-sharing agreement will be implemented this week.

Mugabe’s regime has come under pressure from world powers to resign amid a deadlock between rival parties over a power-sharing deal, a growing cholera epidemic and economic ruin.

Asked how bad things had to get before neighbouring South Africa joined the rising calls, Motlanthe told journalists: “It’s really not for us.”

Australia on Wednesday joined Britain, the United States, France and Canada in urging Mugabe to relinquish power after ruling the nation since independence in 1980.

“I mean, I don’t know if the British feel qualified to impose that on the people of Zimbabwe but we feel that we should really support and take our cue from what they [Zimbabweans)] want,” said Motlanthe.

He was speaking during the announcement of a regional campaign to raise funds to fight Zimbabwe’s humanitarian crisis.

Australia announced it was tightening sanctions against Mugabe’s regime by adding 75 individuals and four companies to a list facing financial and visa restrictions, while providing $670 000 in aid.

“The strengthened sanctions are a clear signal that the Australian government holds the brutal Mugabe regime and its closest supporters accountable for the tragedy occurring in Zimbabwe,” Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said in a statement.

Motlanthe said South Africa stood by an agreement inked three months ago setting out a power-sharing arrangement between Mugabe and rival Morgan Tsvangirai.

“We are hopeful that such an inclusive government will be put in place this week,” Motlanthe told journalists at a press conference in Pretoria.

Criticism
While the Southern African Development Community has the power to put economic pressure on landlocked Zimbabwe it has failed to do so, retaining its faith in former South African president Thabo Mbeki to mediate a settlement — despite several opposition calls for him to be removed.

Botswana is the only country in the region to criticise the former liberation hero, and South Africa has often been under fire for its policy of quiet diplomacy against Mugabe.

Since Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangirai failed to win a majority in March elections, and pulled out of a run-off citing violence against his supporters, the country has virtually collapsed, sending million of Zimbabweans across South Africa’s borders.

A unity government was agreed to in a deal signed three months ago, but parties have been deadlocked ever since over key issues, the main one being the allocation of key ministries.

A draft constitutional amendment was published in an official gazette on Saturday, paving the way for a unity government by creating the post of prime minister for Tsvangirai.

Motlanthe said the power-sharing deal “states that once the amendment is gazetted, such a government can be formed almost immediately”.

“And once it is in place, we believe it will create the possibility of dealing with the real problems.”

The draft gives Mugabe power to swear in Tsvangirai before the amendment is passed by Parliament, and Motlanthe said on Saturday he expected the prime minister to be sworn in “with immediate effect”.

However, parties remained cautious, with the MDC saying key issues could still derail the agreement, while Mugabe threatened fresh elections if rivals could not agree on the power-sharing disputes.

In addition to the political crisis, Zimbabwe, once a role model economy in Africa, is facing inflation of about 231-million percent while a cholera outbreak has killed nearly 1 000 people.

Motlanthe announced that the Southern African Development Community was launching an “urgent international campaign” to assist Zimbabwe to deal with a cholera outbreak.

“Zimbabwe is facing serious humanitarian challenges characterised by acute food shortages and the recent outbreak of cholera,” he said.

Motlanthe said all countries in the 15-member bloc were expected to contribute to the campaign with their available resources. — AFP

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Zimbabwean crisis

Robert Mugabe Kgalema Motlanthe

Article comments

I cannot believe that the President Of South Africa, believes Mugabe. Mugabe shows all the signs senilty, we should remove him forceably, how many more must die before we see the light.

President Mothlante, the people of Zimbabwe made it clear at the elections, they want Mugabe to go.

There are only two reasonable explanations for South Africa still supporting a genocidal maniac and that would be:
1. They agree with Mugabe, his fanatical policies, philosophies and methods or
2. Mugabe has so much ‘dirt’ on the ANC and the current SA leadership that he is holding them to ransom.
I absolutely do not buy the fact that he helped them liberate SA so now they have to help him… do what… maintain a personal fiefdom.
The only options are therefore 1 or 2 or a combination of both.
You decide, I regret I have done so already! Please COPE, this is your appointed ‘hour’ to expose the lies and hypocrisy! You have the chance to restore dignity and pride to the nations of Africa, we have become the laughing stock of the whole international community.

This country is building up such an antipathy on the part of Western powers thanks to our policy of voting against the Western nations on everything – from Zimbabwe to actually opposing a US resolution condemning rape as a weapon of war.When it comes to getting a permanent seat on the SC, or support for our own resolutions in the future, our policy of sheer bloody-mindedness is going to come back and haunt us.

I wonder where are those who said former President Thabo Mbeki was playing silent diplomacy with Zimbabwe? I guess President Kgalema is playing Cheeky Diplomacy?? But in reallity friends, comrades and fellow Africans it is high time to stop politicising and playing funny tricks with peoples’ lives especially the grassroots, esp the working class, the people who had to sweat to get their plate of food, the ordinary citizens. People like Mugabe, Motlanthe and the who likes they don’t feel the pinch, Zimbabwe crisis is putting a strain on South Africa, people of Limpopo have to share the little they have with Zimbabweans. Presdient Motlanthe must take a walk down Johannesburg, Jeppe, Park Station, JHB CBD, Hillbrow etc etc. South Africans never got time to enjoy the fruits of their freedom, when they opened their eyes to start to enjoy freedom there came their Neighbours to overcrowd them. SA government should have regulated this situation and let Zimbabweans enjoy peace and flourish in their country not that we don’t want them in South Africa but the situation is so uncomfortable even here in South Africa, actually if South Africa collapses the whole of Africa will go down , you watch if State Officials continue to play tricks with peoples’ lives like this!!!

Just another pathetic response from a pathetic “stand in” president of South Africa. African statesmen, bar a few, are becoming more and more ineffective and laughable.

Funny.
Is there anyone left who believes SA would ever say or do anything against Mugabe?

And what does President Motlanthe think the people of Zimbabwe want?
Ridiculous inflation rates? rigged elections? corruption? cholera? muzzled media? brutal human right abuses? power blackouts? no running water? unemployment? Why does he think there are millions of Zimbabweans in South Africa? If he (and the ANC)think they are not qualified to interfere in Zimbabwe, perhaps they need reminding that they are answerable to the people of South Africa and I think the people of South Africa have a very different view to the ANC.

How many times in the past 8 months have we heard some pronouncement from our government that a solution in Zimbabwe is forthcoming, and that we must leave it to the people of Zimbabwe to resolve?Well, what if the rest of the world had left “the people” of South Africa to resolve the little problem of apartheid?

The fact is that the people of Zimbabwe have spoken – they want Mugabe and his cronies out!

Consider from a moral perspective whether Mr Mbeki, and now Messrs Zuma and Motlanthe are losing their “right” to govern by virtue of upholding an illegitimate dictator, and ignoring the democratic aspirations of ordinary Zimbabweans. Not to mention the propect of genocide on a par with Cambodia.

If there is such a thing as justice, then perhaps the ANC will not get more than 50% of the vote come the elections…

WHY???????????????????

The people of Zimbabwe voted to change the leadership of Zimbabwe on March 28, sending a clear message that they were done with Mugabe. As such I’m wondering to which people of Zimbabwe the President of South Africa is listening. Undoubtedly the Zimbabwean people didn’t vote for a GNU, this is an imposition on them by the South African government. We once thought that South Africa was going to be beacon of democracy and champion of social justice, only to see these hopes vanishing into thin air within two decades! Mbenge Ziko

Is president Kgalema Motlanthe practicing some of Thabo Mbeki’s “quiet diplomacy?” It seems like yet another South African president is kissing Mugabe’s ass! The South African government has got to wake up sniff the bad smell wafting down from the north. It’s way past time for the despot, Mugabe to be removed. By refusing to take a stance against the Mugabe government, South Africa is tacitly condoning the tragedy happening in Zimbabwe, and that’s an absolute shame!
N. McKenna, Northcliff