President Thabo Mbeki’s assurances to the world that a resolution to the economic crisis and political impasse in Zimbabwe is imminent are meaningless, the Democratic Alliance said on Thursday.
“The statement today by [Zimbabwe] President [Robert] Mugabe that he has no plans to retire from political life is indicative of how he continues to outfox President Mbeki,” DA spokesperson on Africa Graham McIntosh said in a statement.
McIntosh was reacting to media reports earlier on Thursday that quoted Zimbabwe state radio as saying Mugabe had no plans to retire from political life.
The state radio also quoted Mugabe as saying opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai “will never defeat him in parliamentary elections”.
McIntosh said Mbeki had to admit he had misled the world on Mugabe.
“President Thabo Mbeki has consistently told world leaders — including [United States] President George Bush and [German] Chancellor [Gerhard] Schroeder — that a resolution to the current impasse in Zimbabwe is imminent.
“During President George Bush’s visit to South Africa in June 2003, Mbeki gave assurances that Mugabe would be out of office by December that year, and that there would be new elections by June 2004.
“Clearly, Mbeki’s assurances are meaninglessness; Mugabe intends to hold on to power regardless of the consequences, and it is misleading for Mbeki to pretend otherwise.”
South Africa needs to send an unequivocal message that there have to be formal talks between the ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
“Any other message is simply being used by Mugabe as a license to continue with his headlong pursuit of plunging Zimbabwe into chaos,” McIntosh said. — Sapa
Mugabe: ‘I’ll never be defeated’