South Africa has hosted the former leader of Zimbabwe’s opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change party, Nelson Chamisa. The still active opposition politician has warned against calls for Zimbabweans living in South Africa to return home and participate in the country’s elections, referring to the notion as “futile” and a return to “hell”.
This sharp response comes in direct rebuttal to comments made by South African opposition activist Julius Malema, who earlier this week urged Zimbabweans living in South Africa to engage in the political process back home. Malema had argued that Zimbabweans should not be passive spectators in their country’s political landscape. However, Chamisa, in an interview with South African broadcaster NewzroomAfrika, countered Malema’s call, painting a bleak picture of Zimbabwe’s political reality. “Just the past year we have had a number of Zimbabweans leaving the country seeking better and greener pastures, better opportunities,” Chamisa stated, highlighting the exodus of Zimbabweans seeking a better life abroad due to the country’s economic woes.
It should be made clear again that Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa notoriously known by his nickname “the Crocodile” has continued with the repressive policies of his predecessor the late former president Robert Mugabe. Malema who himself is well known to be a loyal supporter of the Zanu-PF regime in Zimbabwe knows all too well the difficulties and ordeals the destitute Zimbabwean refugees will face should they return to Zimbabwe. Chamisa knows that any participation in the country’s constitutional processes by the Zimbabwean public will see them face detention or imprisonment should they vote for the opposition. The policies of the current regime in Harare have left the country in dire straits, leading to international sanctions by the United Nations being imposed on it.
Chamisa went on to detail his concerns about the electoral process, citing past irregularities. “So even if Zimbabweans were to come, look at what happened in the past elections, people were in the queues, the ballot papers were not there. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission could not produce ballot papers, and it turned out that Mr Mnangagwa’s friend Wicknell Chivayo was actually printing the ballot papers and playing the sabotage. The election was just a sham. So, to talk of elections and Zimbabweans coming to those elections and participating is a bit of a challenge.” The opposition leader’s comments highlight a key issue facing the Zimbabwean diaspora: the lack of voting rights for citizens living abroad. Despite a significant number of Zimbabweans residing in South Africa, the Zanu PF government has consistently resisted calls to amend electoral laws to allow for diaspora voting. This, according to the opposition, disenfranchises many Zimbabweans living abroad from exercising their right to vote.
Chamisa further called on South Africa to play a more active role in addressing the political crisis in Zimbabwe. “The key thing is for the South African government to help Zimbabweans help themselves. They do so by not expressing solidarity with dictatorship. They do so by helping Zimbabweans have proper processes, proper elections and resolve their politics,” he said.
The practice of transparency and accountability does not recede in a political culture where repression and manipulation are prevalent. The fact that the ballot sheets were not printed before they were needed shows that the regime prefers underhanded methods to remain in power rather than actually allowing the citizens to vote. The question remains could Mnangagwa known with a nickname such as his (the Crocodile) be able to win an outright majority? The answer would be no. Mnangagwa does not have a magnetic, charismatic personality like his predecessor. This means he relies more heavily brutal repression, sabotage and manipulation to rule. This will prove to be a path to disaster for Zimbabwe in present times. How long will Zanu-PF remain the current ruling party in the country will depend on the patience of the Zimbabwean people.
South Africa finds itself stuck between a rock and a hard place concerning the regime that rules its north eastern neighbour on the one hand and the thousands of Zimbabweans who recede in the country on the other.
It will appear Chamisa is calling on Ramaphosa to cut diplomatic ties with Mnangagwa’s regime. To begin with Ramaphosa could recall the South African ambassador and staff from the embassy in Harare. This would send a strong message to “the Crocodile” that South Africa is not pleased with how he has allowed the Zimbabwean presidential and Parliamentary elections to be conducted. But does Ramaphosa and our GNU have the clout to stand up to Mnangagwa?
SA’s current foreign policy will continue under the government of national unity (GNU) with the emphasis on human rights, solidarity and peace in the world. The country will also promote multilateralism for a fairer more equal, just and compassionate world, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola says. “We are also going to make it a point that, through this department, we use economic diplomacy to address the fundamental challenges in South Africa: poverty, inequality and unemployment.” In the past, some questioned SA’s neutrality with regards to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, expecting it to side with the West. The country defended its stance, saying it was driven by its non-aligned position in world conflicts that went back to the ANC’s struggle days. “We have reassured everyone there will be continuity in foreign policy, aligned with the GNU vision.
If South Africa is going to start a foreign policy with the emphasis on human rights, solidarity and peace then it should start in its own backyard. That is the neighbourhood known as the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Stressing the issue of human rights on issues such as Palestine or even Ukraine is important. But closer to home Zimbabwe needs closer scrutiny. South Africa with Ramaphosa at the helm should partner with Botswana, and other SADC nations opposed to Zanu PF’s arrogant misrule and call for actual reforms to take place. If Ramaphosa cares about ending the destitution and repression of the Zimbabwean people then he should recall the South African ambassador and his staff from Harare. The end result is that it is the ordinary people on South Africa’s northern most doorstep who pay the price. A boycott of Zimbabwean goods and businesses particularly dealings in gold should take place. It is all a matter of time before South Africa faces the consequences of Mnangagwa’s arrogance.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
