A Democratic Alliance fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe will not ”go as far as the airport”, African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Fikile Mbalula told students at the University of the Witwatersrand on Tuesday.
The mission is a form of ”opportunism” displayed by DA leader Tony Leon.
”He believes he can speak on behalf of the ANC as if it is banned,” said Mbalula, adding: ”We can speak through our leaders. We can speak for ourselves.”
Not even Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) wants the DA in Zimbabwe, he said.
It has to be asked what the DA is going to do in Zimbabwe and what it is going to inspect.
In South Africa, he said, it is interested only in the entrenchment of white capital, and has attacked black economic empowerment, which it wants scrapped.
”They support entrenchment of white property values in Zimbabwe. They have allies in Zimbabwe. I don’t think they’ll go as far as the airport,” said Mbalula.
His comments come in the wake of Congress of South African Trade Unions fact-finding delegations being barred twice from Zimbabwe.
The problem is the DA having drawn a conclusion even before the mission. Zimbabwe, like any other nation ”under siege”, has the right to self-defence, he said.
The extent to which any fact-finding mission could be effective depends on the manner in which it engages with all stakeholders, without a political agenda.
For its own part, the ANCYL opposes a change of government in Zimbabwe, as it is not a ”regime”, said Mbalula.
”Regimes are governments that are despicable [and that] don’t allow political expression to anybody.”
There is an opposition in Zimbabwe and one that has been allowed to contest elections — in line with British demands for the democratisation of the government before it will free up funds for land redistribution.
Changing the government will only bring about hostility and ”entrench hostile engagement. Let us work with the Zimbabwean people to reach a common solution,” Mbalula said.
The ANCYL will not be the ”shop-steward” of those wanting a change of government.
A more pressing problem is that of polarisation between the rural poor and those living in urban areas, said Mbalula.
It is this that needs to be addressed ”for the best interests of the Zimbabwe people themselves”. — Sapa