ANC breaks with Mbeki to condemn 'evident' crisis in Zimbabwe
Thank God. The ANC have publicly broken with Mbeki - who continues to insist that there is no crisis in Zimbabwe - by declaring that the crisis is "evident".
I have never understood quite what a hold Mugabe must have over Mbeki, as Mbeki will literally say nothing that might offend the old dictator. Thankfully, his latest statement that all is well in Zimbabwe was simply too ludicrous for the ANC to go along with.A top ANC official, Matthews Phosa – a close ally of the ANC leader Jacob Zuma – said yesterday that a crisis was "evident" in South Africa's northern neighbour. The party's national working committee, in a snub to the president, resolved to open direct contact with Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to promote dialogue.
The deadlock in Zimbabwe has caused frustration in South Africa with Mr Mbeki's brand of "quiet diplomacy" to boil over. His critics believe the president's uncritical support of Mr Mugabe is allowing the 84-year-old autocrat to prepare a campaign to overturn the results of both the parliamentary elections, in which Zanu-PF lost its majority, and the presidential poll, where the MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai is believed by independent monitors to have come within 1 per cent of an overall majority.
It is ludicrous that more than a fortnight after the elections, we still have not had the results released. The ANC have, at least, reminded everyone of this fact and insisted that this be done before any rerun can possibly be held.Zimbabweans are likely to hope instead that South Africa, the regional power, will at last put effective pressure on Mr Mugabe. Warning that the "dire" situation in Zimbabwe was having negative consequences for the whole of southern Africa, the top ANC committee said it would be "undemocratic and unprecedented" for Mr Mugabe to hold a run-off vote without first announcing the result of the 29 March presidential poll.
Mr Phosa, the ANC treasurer, said the continuing failure to release results was causing uncertainty that could "lead to explosions", adding: "We don't want to prophesise disaster, we don't want disaster, we think pre-emptive action should be taken to avoid disaster."
Were it left up to Mabeki then Mugabe could do whatever took his fancy. Nothing great has taken place here other than the ANC have insisted that Mugabe makes a token gesture towards the democratic process. But, after the events of the past fortnight, that seems like a step in the right direction.
Declare the results before you do anything else the ANC are insisting. And we all know that, were it left to Mugabe, those results would never see the light of day.
The question now is will Mabeki, faced with a revolt within the ANC, finally give up his insane protection of this vile old tyrant.
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