As we publish yet another Mugabe-dominated top 10 news reports for the week, it’s clear that the crisis in our neighbouring country — and the reaction of South Africa to it — remains high on the agenda of our readers.
Adding fuel to the fire is a chilling interview carried by the Mail & Guardian newspaper of April 5 with a 22-year-old youth who was a member of a Zimbabwe death squad. He was forced to torture others, for example, and was beaten himself.
The newspaper’s
The United States-based internet governing body rejected a proposal on Friday to create an adults-only zone on the internet, or a .xxx domain.
2. Mbeki: Mugabe will step down peacefully
South African President Thabo Mbeki was quoted on Tuesday as saying he believed Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe would peacefully renounce power at some point.
3. Mbeki, Zuma: The state of the race
With less than nine months to go before the ANC national conference, which will choose a new leadership, adversaries Jacob Zuma and President Thabo Mbeki are using very different strategies in their attempts to win support. Last weekend was a case in point.
4. The region gangs up on Mugabe
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is placing unprecedented pressure on President Robert Mugabe to quit office and pave the way for peace and stability at home and within the region.
5. De la Rey: Afrikaner absolution
The view of most commentators is that the De la Rey song is a call to mobilise Afrikaners against black people in general and the government in particular. High-powered editors, columnists, radio and television hosts read the lyrics as ‘right-wing exclusivity” and a ‘whining for lost power”.
6. UK says Iran row at critical stage
Britain said on Tuesday the way was open for diplomacy to secure the release of 15 British sailors and marines seized by Iran in the Gulf, but the next 48 hours would be critical.
7. Mixed reaction to Mbeki’s role in Zim mediation
The Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) decision to appoint President Thabo Mbeki as mediator in Zimbabwe was both lauded and ridiculed on Friday.
8. Zanu-PF endorses Mugabe for 2008 poll
Zimbabwe’s ruling party endorsed President Robert Mugabe as its candidate in presidential elections next year, papering over internal divisions about the country’s economic meltdown and shrugging off international criticism of the clampdown on opposition activists.
9. Masethla vs Mbeki: Round seven
Does the Constitutional Court have the stomach to take on the president? That is the stark question raised by the application of sacked intelligence boss Billy Masetlha, who is asking the court to overturn his suspension and dismissal by President Thabo Mbeki.
10. Tsvangirai ‘deserved to be assaulted’, says Mugabe
A defiant Robert Mugabe openly acknowledged an assault on Zimbabwe’s opposition leader on Friday as he sought his ruling party’s nomination to stand once again in next year’s presidential election.