The Democratic Alliance on Friday criticised President Thabo Mbeki for his continued stance of ”appeasement” towards Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
However, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Njongonkulu Ndungane took an opposite view and congratulated Mbeki on his new initiative.
DA spokesperson Graham McIntosh said Mbeki was an extremely poor judge of human character ”if he thinks that a policy of appeasement to a political thug like Robert Mugabe is going to achieve anything”.
During his visit to Zimbabwe on Thursday, Mbeki had the chance to restore his credibility on the crisis in Zimbabwe, but sadly let the opportunity slip through his fingers, McIntosh said.
”If President Mbeki thinks that the Zimbabwean President has anything at all to teach South Africa, I challenge him to repeat his words to the thousands of Zimbabwean economic refugees living in the overcrowded flats of Hillbrow and the squatter camps of Gauteng and see what their response is to his claim.”
Mbeki also remained quiet about the Zimbabwean government’s latest effort to seize all farming equipment from those farmers who had already had their farms confiscated by the Mugabe regime.
The South African president said nothing about protecting the property rights of South African citizens in Zimbabwe, despite several promises made to that effect inside and outside of Parliament.
”One hopes that President Mbeki is not going to be let down once more by President Mugabe’s undertaking to seriously start talking to the opposition (Movement for Democratic Change) MDC.
”The DA sincerely hoped that President Mbeki would stand up for the people of Zimbabwe, and also for his own citizens living in Zimbabwe. This did not happen. What a waste of a valuable opportunity,” McIntosh said.
But, Ndungane congratulated Mbeki, on his initiative in meeting with Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in Harare.
”I would also like to affirm and support the efforts of Zimbabwean church leaders in the efforts they are making to resolve the situation.
”It is my prayer and hope that formal discussions between the two parties take place as soon as possible to bring about a solution to the crisis, and peace and well-being to all Zimbabweans,” Ndungane said. – Sapa