The South African government’s silence on the persecution of the owners and staff of the Zimbabwean newspaper The Daily News by the authorities in that country, is scandalous, Democratic Alliance spokesperson Graham McIntosh said on Monday.
”The persecution of The Daily News by President [Robert] Mugabe’s government, as well as its intolerance of points of view in the media which are not managed by Zanu-PF commissars, is an international scandal.
”Equally scandalous is the South African government’s silence on the matter,” he said in a statement.
”What further evidence does it need to convince it that the Mugabe regime has no interest in observing human rights or the rule of law in Zimbabwe?” he asked.
Like the apartheid regime in South Africa, Mugabe’s government has replaced the rule of law with rule-by-law, silencing dissent with draconian legislation and the use of the police force against the opposition, independent media and civil society commentators.
The owners of The Daily News, the editor, and his staff have been abused, threatened, and made victims of sabotage and legislative terrorism.
”The latest act of intimidation, which must have shocked the world, is the use by the police of hostages to secure the arrest of the directors of the Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe [ANZ] — the owners of The Daily News,” McIntosh said.
The hostages included ANZ boss Sam Nkomo’s niece and former High Court judge, now a director of ANZ, Washington Sansole.
”This lawless behaviour by the police is outrageous, and demands the strongest possible condemnation from democratic leaders in Africa.”
South Africa has one of the most respected and progressive constitutions in the world.
However, President Thabo Mbeki’s government’s credibility as a consistent supporter of human rights and democracy is withering in the face of the outlaw regime of Mugabe and his Zanu-PF.
Decent people all over Africa are not simply puzzled by Mbeki’s stance, but that puzzlement is turning into disgust and condemnation.
Mbeki should re-establish South Africa’s reputation as a champion of democracy and human rights by leading the Southern African Development Community and African Union heads of state in condemning the escalating oppression of dissenting voices in Zimbabwe, McIntosh said. — Sapa