Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Tony Leon lambasted President Thabo Mbeki on Thursday for not using his ”political leverage” to push for democratic change in Zimbabwe.
Writing in his weekly newsletter SA Today, Leon said while the African National Congress and the DA both believed there should be a democratic dialogue in Zimbabwe, ”we differ fundamentally on the means to achieve that result”.
Part of the problem with South Africa’s involvement, or lack of effectiveness in Zimbabwe, was the continuing mischaracterisation of the situation there by Mbeki.
Last week, Mbeki defended Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in an article in The Guardian in Britain, entitled ”Don’t blame Mugabe for everything”.
”This brazen apology for tyranny tears to shreds any illusions the world may have had about the effectiveness of President Mbeki’s policy of ‘quiet diplomacy’. In reality, quiet diplomacy has meant silent — and now open — approval,” Leon said.
Mbeki’s analysis of the crisis in Zimbabwe was full of evasions and half-truths. Nowhere in his article did he ever mention abuses of human rights or the destruction of democracy. He ignored Mugabe’s virulent racism and blamed London for any ”racist notions” that might exist in Zimbabwe.
Leon said Mbeki was at great pains to convince the world that Zimbabwe’s crisis was economic, not political.
”But Zimbabwe’s economic problems are the result of its political malaise, not the other way around.
”There is a further irony in President Mbeki writing in a London newspaper that the solution to Zimbabwe’s problems must come ‘from the people of Zimbabwe themselves”’.
The anti-apartheid movement, as Mbeki was well aware, was vigorously active outside South Africa’s borders and received critical support from overseas.
”Back then, the ANC rejected the notion that South Africa should solve its problems in isolation. Yet it rushes to embrace that false premise today with regard to Zimbabwe.
”More than anyone else, President Mbeki has had the political leverage to push for democratic change in Zimbabwe. And he, as much as anyone else, must bear the blame for the mess that has resulted from his inaction,” Leon said.
The DA believed considerable pressure needed to be placed on Mugabe to achieve the South African government’s objective of the restoration of democracy, the rule of law and economic normalcy.
”We are convinced that the ANC government’s vacuous calls for ‘dialogue’ are not enough. South Africa must put forth a concrete plan for restoring democracy in Zimbabwe and must pursue it firmly.”
The DA’s proposal of a ”road map to democracy in Zimbabwe” might be the answer, Leon said. – Sapa