As the African National Congress (ANC) and General Council of the Bar in South Africa expressed concern at the situation in Zimbabwe on Wednesday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said the government’s response to the situation is shameful.
”The ANC is concerned about the current situation in Zimbabwe, including reports of the alleged assault of opposition leaders while in police custody,” party spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said in a statement.
The ANC trusted that a thorough investigation would be conducted into these allegations, and that any necessary action be taken in accordance with the law.
He reiterated the ANC’s call for all in Zimbabwe to respect and uphold the Constitution and law of the land, and work to safeguard the rights of all citizens.
”We further reiterate our call to all stakeholders in Zimbabwe to continue to seek peaceful and inclusive solutions.
”In line with the spirit and positions of the African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the South African government should continue to seek to assist the people and leaders of Zimbabwe to address the challenges facing the country,” Ngonyama said.
However, DA spokesperson Douglas Gibson was more forthright.
”For South Africa to opine that Zimbabwe must ‘observe the rule of law’ is like telling criminals the same thing and expecting them to behave.
”South Africa’s quiet diplomacy is an abject failure and it is time that our country made it clear to President [Robert] Mugabe that he is in no sense a friend,” Gibson said.
Firstly, Mugabe and other Zanu-PF members should not be invited to attend the ANC’s congresses or conferences.
Secondly, the government should tell Mugabe that the human rights abuses, police brutality, arbitrary arrests and beatings of opposition politicians had to stop.
”These actions remind us of the worst days of apartheid repression and the South African government should be ashamed of its limp-wristed and meek response.”
Government should also take the initiative in the SADC and the AU to encourage them to find their voice and vociferously criticise the Mugabe regime.
”It is time that the government, SADC and the AU recognise that we all have a duty to our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe, who suffer hunger and deprivation of human rights because of President Mugabe and the Zanu-PF. Surely it is time for a change,” Gibson said.
In another statement, the human rights committee of the General Council of the Bar of South Africa said it was most concerned about the further erosion of human rights in Zimbabwe.
The concern related not only to the institutionalised brutality under the guise of law enforcement that resulted in a duly elected representative of the people and a MP being beaten, and which necessitated an urgent application to court to ensure that graver harm did not befall him.
”It is also evident that the beating of a public figure sends a chilling message to ordinary citizens who wish to raise their voices in peaceful protest against a regime that does not subscribe to democratic values.
”We are witnessing a people being denied their basic freedom of expression,” the committee said.
In a country where the issue of rigged ballots dominated the last two elections, the suppression and the silencing of any form of criticism, if not unchecked, created the genuine concern of absolute totalitarianism, which had within it the seeds of chaos and no other peaceful avenue to restore democratic values.
In either case, it would devastate the lives of Zimbabweans. It would also be felt throughout the entire Southern African region, and to an extent greater than that presently experienced where hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans had fled their country because of fear from persecution or poverty. — Sapa