Is South Africa’s Reticence The Real Problem For Zimbabwe?
Thabo Mbeki the current president of South Africa claims there is no political crisis in Zimbabwe. Mr. Mbeki says he has spoken face to face to the Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe. How can Mr. Mbeki say there is no crisis? Zimbabwe is in a complete downward spiral. I wish Mr. Mbeki would speak out against the dictator Robert Mugabe but he chooses not to. I just don’t believe the international community can really make a difference here. I firmly believe African leaders can make change in Zimbabwe not the Occident. For instance, Mugabe doesn’t care about economic sanctions its not going to change his life. The masses will suffer in Zimbabwe but not Mugabe.
Is this just a waiting game? Mugabe is eighty three years old perhaps the Occident is just waiting for Mr. Mugabe to expire? But what will happen to Zimbabwe after Mugabe dies? Will another dictator emerge? It is so sad because over a decade ago Zimbabwe was known as the “bread basket” of Southern Africa the nation was thriving and doing so well. Now there it appears Zimbabwe is a dystopian nightmare. I think the African leaders such as President Mbeki could of been the difference since South Africa and Zimbabwe are trading partners and are tied to each other in terms of politics and economics. I wonder, if South Africa had a stronger leader could Mugabe been removed by now? Mugabe is desperate to cling on to power while the masses become more desperate, hungry, depressed, and frustrated. Doesn’t anyone care? Why is the world apathetic to the current crisis in Zimbabwe?
Gayblackcanada 
Mugabe has become a monster. Mbeki knows it and wants to see him replaced via a legitimate democratic process. That has consistenly been his policy. He persuaded SADC to press successfully for electoral reforms that made it much harder for Mugabe and ZANU to cheat — with the result that, by their own admission, they came in second. Mbeki is now trying to get SADC — he does not act unilaterally, having no desire to emulate the US — to reason with Mugabe and get him either to accept defeat and step down gracefully, unpunished and to be remembered as a great African liberator, or, if there is a run-off, to allow it be conducted in an unambiguously fair manner and then go gently. As mediator, Mbeki sees no point in using harsh language. Hostage negotiators don’t call hostage takers scum either when they are trying to get hostages released.
@ Simon, I agree Mugabe is a monster he needs to be stopped. I just heard the ZANU are going to try to cheat anyway. I wonder can anything be done to help the people of Zimbabwe?