In Cosatu the ANC sees a potential MDC

The violence in Zimbabwe, including the thuggery that Morgan Tsvangirai indured is an important new chapter in the history of Zimbabwe AND South Africa.



This is an eye witness account of the events that sparked the Zimbabwe violence.

For the first time South Africa critisized Zimbabwe (al be it belatedly).

The world has been incredulous as to why the ANC government has not been more harsh in its critisism on the behaviour of its Northern neigbour. Some has put it down to loyalty - Mugabe supported the ANC during his own struggle.

Mhambi thinks it's because the ANC sees in Zimbabwe its own potential downfall. African liberation movements once in government rule with a strong sense of entitlement. But in Zambia the trade unions caused one of the few examples of democratic (if fraught) change of government in Africa.

In Zimbabwe the unions created the MDC who won a majority of votes in 2000, and who would have been the government, had Mugabe played by the rules.

Allot of people are often depressed by events in Zimbabwe, but Mhambi sees reasons for optimism. A largely non-tribal city based middleclass is revolting against the party and leader of liberation. This is largely because Zimbabwe has (or had) substantial industry and therefore a middelclass and organised labour.

South Africa's economy and industry is a number of orders of magnitude more complex than that of Zimbabwe, it's trade unions much bigger and stronger, and the ANC itself is a much broader movement than ZANU PF. In short Zimbabwe shows why South Africa won't go the way of Zimbabwe.

In the meantime a protest is planned by the MDC in London.

PRESS NOTICE
ZIMBABWEAN DEMO IN LONDON (14/3/07)

Zimbabweans in the UK are to demonstrate outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in London on Wednesday in protest at the arrest and torture of peaceful protesters in Zimbabwe.

Supporters of the Zimbabwean opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), will gather outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London from 1 – 4 pm on Wednesday, 14th March 2007 in solidarity with the suffering of opposition activists in Zimbabwe.

They will be joined by supporters of the Zimbabwe Vigil, who have been demonstrating outside the Embassy every Saturday since October 2002 in support of free and fair elections and against human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.

For interviews etc, contact:

Ephraim Tapa, Chair, MDC UK – 07940 793 090

Julius Mutyambizi-Dewa, Secretary, MDC UK – 07984 254 830

Rose Benton, Vigil Co-ordinator – 07970 996 003

Sphere: Related Content