If Zuma and SADC try to ride the typical African slipstream of passive acceptance following Mugabe’s enormous illegal and socially unacceptable actions by announcing that the Zimbabwe ‘election’ is acceptable, the consequences for Zimbabwe, the region, and not least for SA, could be dire. The world, but more particularly the West, is likely to conclude, once more, that Africa really is ‘the hopeless continent’. Mugabe’s ‘acceptable’ election fraud will, by definition, become popular practice without recourse. Human Rights will suffer. Democracy, never really adhered to by recently independent African states, will diminish further, investment in the region from most foreign sources will not only decline, it will be withdrawn. China’s influence in Zimbabwe is already substantial and growing. And South Africa will not be immune from these impacts. There was a time when it was thought that President Zuma was a foil for Mugabe’s crooked ways and that he of all the Southern African presidents would help put a stop to Mugabe’s diabolical roguery. Regrettably Zuma’s recent actions have overturned this perception. He may not appreciate the effect. But Africa, South Africa and South Africans are the losers – not to mention the long-suffering people of Zimbabwe.
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 05:41:51 +0000
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