Statement by Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe on the Occasion of the Debate in the National Assembly on: The deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe and its political, economic and social consequences for Zimbabwe, South Africa and the Southern African region, 28 March 2007

Madame Speaker
Honourable Ministers and Honourable members

It is very important that this subject has been placed on the agenda this afternoon. It will provide us with the opportunity to state our views on the matter and to state for the record the South African government's position with regard to Zimbabwe and the crisis that that country is facing.

Having said that, it is a pity that this debate is taking place today. The reason that I say this is that two very important meetings will be taking place in the next few days, and decisions from these meetings will have a material bearing on this debate.

The first is the meeting of the SADC leaders in Tanzania tomorrow, preceded by meeting of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co operation. President Mbeki is, as we speak, traveling to attend both meetings, accompanied by my colleague, Deputy Minister Pahad. The items for discussion at these meetings will be the conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Zimbabwe. Developments in Lesotho will also be discussed.

The meeting will also be attend by President Mugabe.

The second meeting of important to this debate is the Central Committee meeting of the ruling party of Zimbabwe which is due to take place on Friday. At this meeting ZANU-PF are due to discuss the important issue of the convergence of the parliamentary with the presidential elections in Zimbabwe. A decision is expected to be taken on whether to hold the elections simultaneously than two years apart as is the case currently.

We will therefore have to await the outcome of these important meetings.

Nevertheless in the context of the current situation in Zimbabwe, which is on of the reasons for this Extraordinary SADC meeting, it is important that we state South Africa's established policy with regard to Zimbabwe.

We believe that it is first and foremost the responsibility of the Zimbabweans to resolve the problems that they are facing. We, as neighbors, have the responsibility to encourage and assist their political leaders and their people to find solutions.

Today, as in the past, our President, many of our Ministers and officials have had, and continue to have contact with government leaders in Zimbabwe from the ruling party as well as with opposition leaders, from both factions of the MDC.

In all our discussions, the Zimbabweans themselves have encouraged us to continue to engage with them. The principle demand that all elements of the political leadership in Zimbabwe have made of us is to encourage all sides to engage in dialogue. This is what the Zimbabweans have asked us to do.

We are convinced that violence from which ever quarter it comes, will not solve the problems of the country.

Last week, my colleague, Deputy Minister Pahad issued a statement on behalf of Foreign Affairs, in which he condemned the recent violence in that country and called for the respect for the rule of law and for the human rights of all citizens to be upheld. This is not a new position of South Africa, it is the position we have always taken. This has been reiterated by our President and our Ministers on numerous occasions.

We believe that anyone genuinely interested in solving the problems of Zimbabwe must listen to what the Zimbabwean leadership is saying. We are constantly made aware of messages regarding Zimbabwe that come from regional groups such as the European Union, as well as individual countries. The difference between their position and ours relates to geography. The only thing that separates us in South Africa from Zimbabwe is the Limpopo River, whereas many of the messages we hear come from far further a-field. We in South Africa, as neighbours will carry the consequences of anything that happens in Zimbabwe and this fact is fundamental to our approach.

It is in the interests of South African citizens that we not abandon our responsibility to Zimbabwe and that we act responsibly in working towards a resolution to the crisis across our border. This responsibility includes encouraging them to resolve the crisis and not to intensify the conflict.

In this we are guided by our own national considerations of what is in our best interests as a countty and as a region. The solution needs ultimately to be owed by the people of that country so that it is sustainable in the long term.

This is our position and has always been our position.

The title of the debate today refers to the current deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe and its consequences for us and the region. I will therefore speak to some of the factors that are influencing that situation and its effects on us and the region.

We have spoken before about the complex nature and the origins of the crisis gripping our neighboring sister country of Zimbabwe.

We have spoken also of our common wish that Zimbabwe gets out of this crisis both for the sake primarily of the people of Zimbabwe but also in the interests of our shared neighbourhood. We acknowledge that our efforts at implementing the programme of the renewal of our continent are made poorer when Zimbabwe cannot make her full contribution.

We have always approached the situation in Zimbabwe with no sense of arrogance; we have equally avoided the temptation of focusing on competing with others outside Zimbabwe on who will shout loudest or trade the worst insults against the leadership of Zimbabwe.

What has guided us all along as I have said is the genuine interest in the advancement of a truly durable peace and vibrant, political and economic activity which we continue to believe is essentially what the people of Zimbabwe desire and deserve.

It has also been our strongly held view that all Zimbabweans, in their different formations, have and desire to have a role to play in resolving the crisis in their country. Hence we have over the years consistently initiated dialogue with and engaged different players in Zimbabwe from across the political spectrum.

The latest political developments in Zimbabwe, including the arrests, detention and assaults of senior opposition leaders are a major cause for concern.

The South African Government wishes to stress its concern, disappointment and disapproval of the measures undertaken by the security forces in dealing with the political protests.

The current Zimbabwean situation is a manifestation of the absence of open political dialogue, which is regrettably sinking the country into a deeper political and economic crisis, from which only Zimbabweans can extricate themselves.

As other experiences have demonstrated, punitive measures or any other action that would constitute the erosion of the independence and sovereignty of Zimbabwe, such as those contemplated by certain countries will continue to exacerbate further the deepening of the political and economic situation faced by Zimbabweans. Indeed we have noted the collateral damage that some of these measures have caused, namely, the sharpening of political contradictions and the economic hardship that has been visited upon the people of Zimbabwe.

The South African government has and will always insist that the only viable and sustainable solution to political and socio-economic challenges faced by Zimbabwe lies in an all inclusive dialogue by Zimbabweans. The correctness of this thesis has been confirmed by recent statements by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, and the Chair of the AU Commission Mr. Alpha Omar Konare, which have underscored the importance of political dialogue as a means through which Zimbabwean problems should be resolved.

In our discussions with the Zimbabweans we have always implored them to institute an all inclusive political dialogue. We have done so informed by our own experience and by our understanding of the complex political problems faced by this sister country. Our advice was given with due regard to the sovereignty and independence of Zimbabwe and also in recognition of the right of its people to determine its future. We will continue to avail ourselves to assist in any manner that the Zimbabweans deem appropriate in order to help them out of this crisis.

The South African government guided by the SADC Social Charter and the African Union Constitutive Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, urges the Zimbabwean government to ensure that the rule of law and the human rights of the Zimbabwean citizens are respected.

The South African Government calls on the Zimbabwean Government to create a climate conducive for political dialogue. We also call upon the opposition to participate unreservedly in efforts aimed at finding a lasting solution to the current situation faced by the people of Zimbabwe.

In the run up to the Presidential elections, it is important that the main political protagonists agree on a framework that would guarantee the credibility of these elections. This is important in view of the fact that the outcomes of the last two presidential elections were contested.

We firmly believe that respect for human rights and the rule of law, and an initiation of an enduring political process will pave the way for the resolution of Zimbabwean problems. This will lay a solid foundation for political stability, economic revival and social cohesion as well as enable Zimbabwe to occupy its rightful place in the community of nations.

As we await the outcome of the SADC Summit that is currently underway in Dar es Salam, we can expect SADC to support the process of bringing about the political stability and ameliorating the economic hardships which if not attended to could have dire consequences, not just for Zimbabwe but for the entire region. At the same time we call upon the international community to join and support the efforts of SADC in bringing about a lasting solution to the Zimbabwe problem.

Thank you