SA: No mercy for Zimbabwe

  1. Posted on Friday 7 November 2008 - 14:10
    Mugadza
    Munyaradzi Mugadza, AfricaNews reporter in Harare, Zimbabwe Photo: Elles van Gelder. Zimbabweans hope for the best
    Days when Zimbabwe was treated with kids' gloves are over, South Africa has said. SA's decision to take a tough stance towards the former "bread basket of South Africa" comes ahead of Sunday's SADC summit on the crisis in Zimbabwe. It is still facing difficulties forming an all inclusive government.
    immigrant from Zimbabwe in South Africa_Elles van Gelder
    The 15-member SADC bloc seeks to end the tension between Zimbabwe’s political leaders who have been worlds apart over the allocation of key ministries following the signing of the historic power-sharing deal on September 15, 2008.

    In a press briefing on Thursday, South African spokesperson Themba Maseko said his government would depart from its quiet diplomacy towards Zimbabwe since they have been adversely affected by the crisis.

    “We will take a hard stance and make sure that an agreement is reached. This has become a matter of extreme concern to us,” Maseko told reporters. “We believe that South Africa and the entire region cannot be held to ransom by three parties that are failing to reach agreement on the allocation of cabinet posts,” he added.

    ANC president and majority favourite in the next year’s election, Jacob Zuma called on the political leaders in Zimbabwe to quickly resolve the impasse.

    He said failure to have a consensus deal by Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara of the smaller faction of the MDC would have far reaching impacts on other neighboring countries.

    “The effects are going to be very severe. ….. of course, we can expect another floodgate of Zimbabweans coming into South Africa if the political crisis in their country is not resolved sooner rather than later. The situation is likely to get even worse than it is right now if regional and international bodies do not intervene immediately,” said Zuma.

    SADC mediator and ousted South African President Thabo Mbeki has come under fire over his quiet diplomacy which has failed to bring positive results despite the power sharing deal, still to be implemented.

    More than three million people are estimated to be in South Africa because of the economic malaise currently gripping the country. Inflation is now estimated to be over 231 million per cent while unemployment rate is over 80 per cent.

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