Zuma’s envoy shrugs off Bob’s ‘street’ slur

Lindiwe Zulu says Mugabe dodging real issues

A DEFIANT Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has threatened to pull out of the Southern African regional bloc and has also hurled insults at President Jacob Zuma’s international relations adviser, Lindiwe Zulu, calling her a “street woman”.

But Zulu has brushed off the insults.

“This thing is not about Lindiwe Zulu — it’s about ensuring that Zimbabwe gets back to normalcy. By personalising this thing you are taking away the attention from the real issues. I’m not an issue here,” she said.

Mugabe was angered by Zulu’s comments ahead of the Zimbabwean Constitutional Court decision on Thursday on the various applications for an extension of the date of the elections.

Zulu had been quoted as saying that the South African Development Community (SADC) was hoping for an extension of the July 31 election date by another month.

Addressing Zanu-PF’s supporters at the party’s manifesto launch in Harare on Friday, Mugabe slammed Zulu.

“An ordinary woman says ‘no, you can’t have elections on July 31’. Really, did such a person think we, as a country, would take heed of this street woman’s stupid utterances?” Mugabe was quoted as saying.

The Zimbabwe Constitutional Court has rejected the applications and confirmed the initial date for the elections.

Zulu is a member of Zuma’s facilitation team in Zimbabwe, which also includes his spokes- man, Mac Maharaj, and Charles Nqakula, ambassador to Mozambique. Zuma is the SADC-appointed facilitator in Zimbabwe.

Zulu said Zuma would report back to his SADC counterparts about the court decision and that the regional body did not want to see a repeat of the chaotic 2008 election, which was marred by violence.

Mugabe has been irritated by SADC, which has adopted a tough stance towards him in its efforts to steer Zimbabwe towards free and fair elections.

SADC did not take kindly to Mugabe’s unilateral stance to

Really, did such a person think we, as a country, would take heed of her stupid utterances?

pronounce on the election date without consulting his partners in the unity government.

At the Zanu-PF manifesto launch Mugabe made his feelings known.

“Let it be known that we are in SADC voluntarily. If SADC decides to do stupid things, let it be known that we can withdraw from SADC,” he said.

But diplomatic sources say Mugabe’s comments are empty threats because his country would not survive without the support of SADC.

“He can’t bite the hand that feeds him. Even the election they are to hold, they have asked SADC for funding. It’s just typical Mugabe character,” said a diplomatic source.

Dr Tomaz Salomão, head of the SADC secretariat, said he would not comment on Mugabe’s utterances.

However, he said SADC had already deployed its observers to the country and were preparing for the elections.

He said SADC had braced itself for whatever decision the court would take and accepted its decision.

“The position of [SADC] was let’s ask the government of Zimbabwe to request a postponement. We have to abide by the ruling of the court. Now the issue is the elections on July 31 and our task is to deploy observers on the ground,” said Salomão.

He said SADC was interested only in seeing free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.

“We have observers on the ground. They will give us a report on how the situation is and we will give our report based on that. That’s our position — free, fair and nonviolent elections,” he said.

On the issue of funding for the Zimbabwean elections, Salomão said the matter was being “attended to”. He said Zimbabwe was in direct negotiations with SADC member countries for election funding.

“There are bilateral consultations under way. We are encouraging member states to support [the elections],” he said.

Harare has already asked South Africa for R100-million for the elections.