Insult Mugabe invited to SA, glaringly out of touch
ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe’s fir m assertions that his country was “well resourced and not poor” at the World Economic Forum in Durban yesterday drew anger from civil society groups representing millions of his countrymen who have migrated to neighbouring South Africa.
“It continues to come as a shock that this old ancestor continues to participate at these high-profile events and then go on to lie and misrepresent facts about Zimbabwe.
“To think that he was hallucinating, saying that Zimbabwe is more developed in southern Africa is shocking considering the state that the country is in,” said Shelton Chiyangwa, who leads the South African chapter of the #Tajamuka campaign. “Hospitals are death traps without medication, we do not have our own currency and the recently introduced bond notes have failed dismally to curb the cash crisis. Companies continue to close and leave the country and many are loosing jobs, farmers are being terrorised by police when they want to get what they worked for which must contribute to the gross domestic product.”
Chiyangwa said Mugabe was glaringly out of touch.
Gauteng-based advocate Gabriel Shumba of the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum said Harare’s expenditure on these international events was bleeding the fiscus. “Even the war veterans have castigated the unnecessary expenditure that continues to bleed our almost non-existent economy. Mugabe has already played his part – positive or negative. He is often pictured sleeping these international events, a sign that his body and mind needs rest.
“His place is now by the fireside with his grandchildren. To continue driving him beyond his physical and mental possibilities will make us even more of a caricature country and is not good for investment.
“I would go so far as to say that his mere presence is a symbol of the fragility of our country, and we need to reinvent our brand. It is ironic that it is at this same gathering that President Jacob Zuma was boasting of injecting fresh and young blood into his ministries, yet he has no moral courage to advise Mugabe of those vistas of possibilities.”
A small group of Zimbabweans gathered near the WEF venue on Thursday, protesting against Mugabe’s presence.
Liberty Kwanisai said Mugabe’s presence in South Africa was an insult to millions who have fled his rule. “We did not choose to be immigrants in South Africa where we are not wanted. Life is tough for a Zimbabwean in South Africa. We get discriminated (against) at the jobs we do because we don’t belong here. So Mugabe cannot act as if all is normal and come here to talk economics. What does he know about economics? Our country doesn’t even have a currency now.
“In terms of natural resources, Zimbabwe is rich. However, to materialise it into a conducive economy there is a stumbling block, hence making it the poorest country. If Zimbabwe is rich, we would not have millions of its citizens living in the diaspora.”
Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Community in SA, Ngqabutho Nicholas Mabhena, said his organisation supported the anti-Mugabe protests. “Zimbabweans have a right to demonstrate against the political leadership which has turned millions of workers into migrants in foreign lands. The presence of President Mugabe does not in anyway benefit the country in these international forums.”
“The ANC must ask itself the relevance of its political relationship with Zanu- PF given recent statements by the Minister of Police that ex-Zimbabwean soldiers are involved in armed robberies in South Africa.” – ANA