Mbeki from Kigali to Harare

If you’re like me, then much of your school life was spent in front of the principal explaining why you did the wrong thing even though you knew better. Of course, in those days we were in for a good hiding, while today’s little shnookums are untouchable.

Shame.

Anyhow it got me thinking about two articles relating to President Mbeki that have appeared in the press lately.

The first was an item in the Mail & Guardian setting out the steps that Mbeki believed Mugabe should take if he was to avoid the calamity we are witnessing now.

The document which may be accessed by clicking on the words “discussion document” in red, clearly indicates that the president was fully aware of what was required to bring about a fair resolution of Zimbabwe’s problems. Moreover, the views expressed therein largely accord with what are generally acceptable standards by the world community.

The second is an article written by Justice Malala in The Times wherein he sets out an excerpt of the president’s speech in Kigali, Rwanda, 2004. In it, Mbeki calls for strong action against those responsible for genocide.

Malala then points out the irony of his words and calls for strong action against Mbeki based upon his part in Zimbabwe.

As always Malala’s article is outstanding and well worth reading. It concludes by calling on African leaders to use the South African model in creating the climate for the change required in Zimbabwe.

South Africans need to consider the following:

If the president knew how to resolve the problems in Zimbabwe in 2001, having seen the horrors of Rwanda and even called for strong measures against those responsible in 2004, why has he allowed the nightmare we are witnessing now in Zimbabwe to develop?

How was it possible to repeatedly do the wrong thing in the face of unequivocal proof of the fact that he knew better? While you think about it, you might also want to consider why he prevented others from getting involved and refused to stand down as mediator.

If quiet diplomacy was inaction and tacit support for Mugabe, then what happened at the United Nations, African Union and SADC was action and plenty of it, in Mugabe’s favour.

Now along with other African leaders, Mbeki is attending the G8 summit with Africa high on the agenda. Presumably he will be asking the world’s wealthiest nations to assist Africa through the current crisis. This, just after they’ve had the pleasure of watching a Zimbabwean spokesman telling the West to go hang itself a thousand times. And, as always, without our feeble foreign policy team distancing our country from that thug.

We can only hope that the G8 will look on us as naughty schoolboys who will one day grow up and warrant aid rather than a recidivist who smiles as he takes your money while planning the next robbery.

Let’s hope this is not another fine mess we’ve gotten ourselves into.