The Presidency has hit back at religious leaders for criticising the South African government’s stance on human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.
Their ”attack” on the government had been based on untested information, Director General Frank Chikane said in a statement published in several South African newspapers on Wednesday.
It was not surprising, he said, that those with a political mission resorted to ”fabrications” to achieve their goals.
”Unfortunately, elements of untruth in [the religious leaders’] statements tend to club them together with these political self-seekers.”
Johannesburg-based religious leaders issued a statement at the weekend, criticising the government’s policy on Zimbabwe and likening it to the regimes of apartheid-era leaders such as Hendrik Verwoerd, BJ Vorster and PW Botha.
”We are confused by the constant call for moral regeneration within our own country by leaders who appear to defend or overlook moral corruption in neighbouring states,” the statement read.
”To remain silent any longer renders us complicit in the brutality being visited by Zimbabwean authorities on their own citizens. We cannot and will not remain silent any longer. To do so would be to be unfaithful to and discredit the history of our own transformation.”
The religious leaders’ statement followed a visit to Zimbabwe by President Thabo Mbeki, and his statement that South Africa could learn from its northern neighbour how to deal with common problems.
It also followed criticism by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu of the government’s policy of ”quiet diplomacy” towards Zimbabwe.
”What has been reported as happening in Zimbabwe is totally unacceptable and reprehensible and we ought to say so,” Tutu said.
Chikane, a reverend himself, sought to dispel a belief that the South African government had not been in contact with the Zimbabwean opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
”The blatant untruth has been told that last week President Mbeki met Mr [Morgan] Tsvangirai, the leader of the MDC, for the first time,” he said.
There had, in fact, been several meetings between Mbeki and Tsvangirai, as well as between the South African government and the MDC.
”The ruling party, the African National Congress, has maintained more frequent contact with he MDC than with [the ruling] Zanu-PF,” Chikane said.
”Our government and the ANC have worked for some time to encourage the leaders of these parties to enter into serious negotiations. This necessitates that we should be in contact with both political parties.”
He also rejected claims that South Africa remained quiet ”about what has been described as the issue of human rights” in Zimbabwe.
”Our president and government have spoken on this matter many times, both privately and publicly.”
Chikane also dismissed allegations that Department of Home Affairs officials were slowing down Zimbabwean refugee applications and mishandling applicants.
The religious leaders’ statements were ”most puzzling”, he added. — Sapa