United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa on Monday asked President Thabo Mbeki to meet South Africa’s ”collective leadership” to discuss three critical matters of concern.
These matters warranted a meeting between Mbeki and political party leaders, religious leaders, traditional leaders, labour leaders, business leaders, civil society leaders, and the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef).
In a letter to Mbeki, Holomisa said, firstly, that there was the question of South Africa’s involvement in resolving the tribulations of Zimbabwe.
”There seems to be differences of opinion among South Africans about how we should handle the unfolding election crisis in Zimbabwe, coupled with uncertainty about exactly what South Africa’s delegation under your leadership is currently doing in Zimbabwe,” Holomisa wrote.
”Although some argue that this is a Southern African Development Community initiative, the UDM feels strongly that you are representing South Africa when you are mediating in the affairs of that country, as the involvement of South African government officials and ministers confirms.”
South African taxpayers were sponsoring these efforts and if there was success it would reflect well on this country, just as failure would leave the country’s image in tatters.
”I believe it is important that your government should meet with the collective leadership of South African society to brief South Africans on what is happening. Perhaps the collective leadership can advise you on possible ways forward,” Holomisa said.
It was estimated that between four and eight million Zimbabweans had left their country, most of them for South Africa, and therefore the people of South Africa — not just one person or a small group of people — had a right to help determine the course of action taken.
Already there were media reports of intimidation and harassment in Zimbabwe that would only further exacerbate the rate of Zimbabweans seeking refuge in South Africa.
Secondly, the matter of the future of the Scorpions required clarification.
As yet no coherent and legitimate reason had been advanced for their dissolution.
It had now been publicly confirmed by African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Gwede Mantashe, and senior ANC national executive committee member Siphiwe Nyanda, that the Scorpions ”are on the chopping block because they are targeting only ANC leaders — even though this is a blue lie”.
The collective leaders of South African society deserved an unambiguous explanation from Mbeki about what the future of the Scorpions is.
Thirdly, there was an unfolding national and international food crisis.
Prices had soared and there was no immediate end in sight, because energy and fuel prices kept escalating and interest rates followed suit.
”We are potentially on the eve of a winter of great suffering. It would be good for the president to engage the collective leadership on what steps government has initiated in this regard and to discuss ways in which all of us can come together to ease the plight of the least fortunate among us,” Holomisa wrote.
Meanwhile, the Young Communist League’s (YCL) national committee on Monday condemned the mediation of Mbeki in Zimbabwe.
National secretary Buti Manamela said at a media conference the YCL held a successful national committee meeting from Friday until Sunday.
The national committee criticised Mbeki’s mediation role in Zimbabwe, saying it followed the same pattern of ”denial, denial and denial”.
Manamela said the mediation was misleading and embarrassing and the YCL called for Mbeki to be replaced by a mediator who would acknowledge the problems in Zimbabwe.
The league criticised quiet diplomacy as ”blind diplomacy” and said it had failed. It called on the government to acknowledge that Zimbabwe was in a crisis. — Sapa