The Zimbabwean Zanu-PF government and the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were engaged in dialogue “to decide what to do about their country”, South African President Thabo Mbeki said on Thursday.
Responding to Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Tony Leon during question time in the National Assembly, the president said neither party had indicated “to us [the SA government] that dialogue is impossible in Zimbabwe … indeed they are engaging in dialogue”.
Leon had asked why it was possible for Mbeki to comment on the arrest of the Burmese opposition leader but was unable to do so when Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of Zimbabwe’s opposition MDC, was arrested.
Commenting later during question time Mbeki said it was interesting that “some people” saw Africa ending at Zimbabwe but questions were never asked about three million people having died in the great lakes area of the continent.
Nevertheless the president — who did not refer to the week of strikes and government action against opposition groups in Zimbabwe — said that his government supported the process of dialogue in Zimbabwe.
“We support that process and hope that it will produce results … that would resolve the problems of the people of Zimbabwe.
“The agenda covers many areas including the Constitution [of Zimbabwe], issues of free political activity, issues of economic reconstruction and so on.
“I am quite certain that out of that process will come an agreement that will take the country forward. They have not said … the MDC has not said to us that it is impossible to have a dialogue. They are having a dialogue. I am certain that will produce the result that the people of Zimbabwe need … so that they can address all of their problems,” the president reiterated. – I-Net Bridge