Zimbabwe's Mugabe Should Face Sanctions, ANC Dissidents Say

Last Updated on Tuesday, 09 March 2010 21:16 Monday, 22 December 2008 18:11

Mosiuoa Lekota The Congress of the People, a party formed by dissident members of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress, said Zimbabwe’s neighbours should halt supplies of commodities to the country to force political change.

“It’s no good to mouth beautiful slogans, there must be implementation,” the former ANC chairman and defense minister who was appointed the new party’s leader on Dec. 16, said in an interview in Johannesburg today. “Simply refusing supplies of commodities” to Zimbabwe could spur political change.

Zimbabwe hasn’t formed a government three months after President Robert Mugabe and opposition leaders signed a power-sharing accord because of disagreements about the allocation of ministries. A presidential run-off in June was boycotted by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change in June because of alleged attacks on its supporters, sparking the crisis.

The country, which borders South Africa, is in its 10th year of recession and its health, sewage and water systems have collapsed, causing a cholera outbreak that’s claimed more than 1,000 lives. The annual inflation rate has risen to more than 230 million percent.

South Africa’s government has continued the policy of “quiet diplomacy” toward Zimbabwe adopted by Thabo Mbeki, who while being ousted as South Africa’s president in September has remained as the mediator between Mugabe and the MDC. Kgalema Motlanthe, South Africa’s president, last week rejected calls by Western countries, Kenya and Botswana for Mugabe to step down.

‘African Solutions’

South Africa supplies Zimbabwe with motor fuel, power and food as well as other imports. Before resigning from government following Mbeki’s dismissal, Lekota didn’t voice opposition to the policy on Zimbabwe.

“It is important to have African solutions to African problems but there must be willpower on behalf of sister African countries,” he said.
Bloomberg.

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written by South africa has failed zimbabweans or should I say Mthwakazians!! , December 25, 2008

South african leaders are pile of mees to be polite. At this time and age how can they allow what is happening in the so-called zimbabwe. fortunately they have had independence until lately, we in Mthwakazi have never tasted the independence from these rat-eating burundian nationals who have been maruading the country sonce 1980. The circle within zanu became smaller hence the clamouring with mugabe tickling their backs and them screaming so loud. If they had faced what we in mthwakazi faced in the 1980s they would be all dead through fear because matibili is a monster. let Mthwakazi go it alone like Khayisa had suggested but the post independence fever clouded our politicians' vision to see things as they are. Akuphileki labantu abadla amagundwane; a seperate state is the answer to all our woes. let all Mthwakazi's sons interred in the Acre of Thieves be exhmed and reburied in their homeland.

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written by hloniphani , March 09, 2010

i have lots of doubt if in the book of Msholozi there is a formula that will tell him when one has turned into a dictactor . You have become Mugabe's many wives , that turn silent to a whole nation being raped politically while you watch. I can not believe you tried selling a cheap menu about sanctions to Uk . I know south africans at large were at some point saying Umgabe uyena okahle , but i doubt it that is still the case with every second person you meet in hillbrow speaks shona , things do not work like that . Mugabe might be you hubby jacob but he is a murder and looter face it