South African Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota passionately urged the Zimbabwean Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) “to go back to the talks” with the ruling Zanu-PF government in that troubled country. He has also urged the MDC not to go to the streets in protest.
Speaking during parliamentary members’ statements time in the National Assembly on Thursday afternoon, he said the South African President and his Nigerian counterpart had led the move to initiate discussions between the two parties in the neighbouring country.
“I said last week it not helpful for the MDC to leave the talks and to go on to the street and create an atmosphere as if there was unwillingness to negotiate a settlement in Zimbabwe.”
He was referring to the week long protest in the streets of the major cities in that country against what the MDC views as an illegitimate government.
Referring to the detention of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai — arrested last Friday and charged with treason for allegedly inciting his supporters to overthrow President Robert Mugabe’s government — he said: “The picture of somebody walking with chains and handcuffs is not something terrifying to us. We have been subjected to worse situations by the previous government in this country.”
“You must go back to the talks,” he repeated, to murmurings from the South African opposition and a roar of approval from the government benches. “We spent all of our time persuading the white government … for years to come to talk with us. They must go back to the talks.”
The imprisoned opposition leader was brought to court in handcuffs and leg irons on Wednesday to apply for bail in the new round of treason charges. – I-Net Bridge