Foreign Affairs Minister Nkozasana Dlamini-Zuma’s assertion that politics and sport shouldn’t mix smacks of damage control in the wake of the Dalai Lama scandal.
To recap, the Tibetan spiritual leader had been invited to address a conference — since postponed — aimed at thrashing out ways of using soccer to fight racism and xenophobia ahead of the Soccer World Cup in 2010.
The decision prompted Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and former president FW de Klerk to pull out of the conference.
The South African government’s view is that the Dalia Lama’s involvement would draw the world’s attention from the World Cup preparations.
”We want the focus to remain on South Africa. A visit by the Dalai Lama would move the focus from South Africa on to issues in Tibet,” said government spokesperson Thabo Masebe on Monday.
Masebe also appears to be in damage control mode, and was put in the thorny position this week of having to rebuke Health Minister Barbara Hogan, who spoke out against the government’s decision.
Finance Minister Manuel joined the fray on Thursday, saying the Dalai Lama could not be allowed to raise global issues on South African soil that would affect the country’s standing.
Trying to inject a measure of realism into the debate, he said it was a ‘matter of relations between states” and that ‘to say anything against the Dalai Lama is, in some quarters, equivalent to trying to shoot Bambi”.
”Let’s put our cards on the table. Who is the Dalai Lama? I’ve heard him described as a god. I’ve heard him described as Buddha. Is he just the spiritual leader of the Buddhists in Tibet, or is he the one who on March 28 1969 established a government-in-exile in the same way as Taiwan was established to counter the reality of a single China?”
Manuel said Tibet’s history had to be looked at, because the Lamas had been ”feudal overlords” in that country.
”The reason why the Dalai Lama wants to be here … is to make a big global political statement about the secession of Tibet from China and he wants to make it on the free soil of South Africa.
ANC president Jacob Zuma, perhaps sensing the change of mood on the wind, said the government’s decision had not undermined human rights and that there should have been more consultation on the matter.
There’s no doubt that the decision, as it stands, is deeply unpopular. There has been intense interest around the issue and the blogosphere has been humming with strong opinions. If the comments on this website are anything to go by, the ruling party erred, and it is only a month away from the election.
Manuel may be right in questioning the Tibetan leader’s motives, but the fact remains, he remains an immensely popular figure with a stature similar to that of Nelson Mandela.
Which of course, brings us back to China.
| FULL SPEED AHEAD |
NOT SO FAST |
Barbara Hogan
Health Minister Barbara Hogan broke ranks with the government this week in speaking out against the decision not to grant him a visa. While she may a ”dead minister walking” her action won praise from ordinary South Africans. |
![]() Nathi Mthetwa
Safety and Security Minister Nathi Mthetwa disappointed us this week by not releasing the country’s crime statistics. He then tried to blame it on the DA, and said he was trying to ”depoliticise” the issue.
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