Jaspreet Kindra
South Africa when led by Nelson Mandela acted as a “bully” against the military dictatorship in Nigeria, making a “terrible mistake”, says the African National Congress’s head of international affairs and policy, Mavivi Myokayaka-Manzini.
But the country is not going repeat that mistake with Zimbabwe, she said in an interview with the Mail & Guardian. Myokayaka-Manzini also dismissed reports that an “urgent” meeting will be called between President Thabo Mbeki and Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe.
Following a gathering of Mbeki’s international investment council last weekend, it was announced that the two leaders were to meet, possibly in Harare, to discuss recent developments in Zimbabwe. Mbeki said members of the council had indicated there should be some “forward movement” on the issue.
Myokayaka-Manzini said a meeting had already been scheduled to take place in Mozambique between the two leaders as a follow-up meeting between liberation movements in the region. The ANC is awaiting word from Frelimo, the ruling party in Mozambique, to confirm dates.
“There is no way in which South Africa and the ANC can stand alone and outrightly condemn, knowing that their condemnation will not have an impact but will actually worsen the situation.
“We did that with Nigeria, by the way, when Madiba took a position without consulting the Commonwealth, without consulting the Southern African Development Community, without consulting the Organisation of African Unity, and what happened? Everyone stood aside and we were isolated because it was a terrible mistake we made.
“We were interested in resolving the issue and I think everyone else was interested in resolving the problem of Nigeria but we acted as this bully … people resent being bullied,” she said.
The Commonwealth suspended Nigeria’s membership in 1995 following the execution Ken Saro-Wiwa and other critics of General Sani Abacha’s regime. Mandela made an emotional appeal to spare their lives when the death sentence was announced.
Myokayaka-Manzini denied the ANC or Mbeki is about to adopt a “harder line” on Zimbabwe. She said the ANC is to continue its policy of quiet diplomacy and constructive engagement with Zanu-PF.
“It has always been his [Mbeki’s] approach … Actually I think it is deliberate. Mbeki’s approach is not new. During the time we were trying to find a settlement in this country, Mbeki led most of the discussions with very hostile South Africans, from business to people in the opposition to the ruling parties.
“His approach has always been that of trying to find an amicable solution and that time the media used to praise him. And this time they want to change his approach.
“There is no way we are going to change our approach because we believe it is the correct one … We won’t be dictated to because we know what we are doing and we have always known what we are doing.”
Myokayaka-Manzini accused the media and the opposition of dictating to the ANC “… that we should take a position that will outrightly just condemn, condemn. We can’t do that at the ANC. Firstly, we have historical ties with Zanu-PF especially with Zapu [Zimbabwe African People’s Union], which is part and parcel of Zanu-PF now. These are our comrades we fought with in the struggle … Our relations have been sealed in blood.”
But Myokayaka-Manzini contradicted herself when asked about Mugabe’s dismissal of the country’s chief justice this week: “The situation has become so urgent it has to be resolved.”
She said: “People have lost confidence in the judiciary and what is the cause? Deprivation of land and people not seeing what they fought for transformation that is the feeling in Zimbabwe and even in South Africa.”
Asked if she was condoning the dismissal of the chief justice, she said: “Obviously it is not correct. That is why we are saying we are condemning it. That is why we are saying we should find a solution to resolve the problem of Zimbabwe as soon as possible because we are playing with fire it is now spilling over to this.”
Mbeki’s representative, Bheki Khumalo, said the president will be leading an inter-ministerial team to Zimbabwe soon.