As ANC Delegation Fails To Broker Peace in Zimbabwe

(AFRICAN EXAMINER)-South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) delegation that visited Zimbabwe recently to meet Zanu-PF leadership has torched a storm on either side of the Limpopo River for failing to broker “peace” in Zimbabwe and violating Covid-19 protocols.

ANC secretary-general Elias Sekgobelo (Ace) Magashula led a six-member delegation comprising the party’s National Executive members Gwede Montashe, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Tony Yengeni, Lindiwe Zulu and Enoch Godongwana.

The delegation visit was for a party-to-party meeting to discuss economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe but Zanu-PF leadership insisted there was no crisis in the country resulting in the delegation leaving without meeting opposition parties and other stakeholders.

This follows similar gesture by another delegation sent by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa more than a month ago which also left without meeting other stakeholders after Zanu-PF said dismissed as false claims of a crisis in Zimbabwe, blaming the challenges facing the country on ‘social media users spreading falsehoods’.

Hopes were high that Magashule and his delegation will meet all parties towards a solution to Zimbabwe crisis characterized by kidnappings and arrests of opposition, civic activists and journalists for the past two months.

Zimbabweans criticized the delegation prompting Magashule to announce to South Africa media that there will be another visit to meet the opposition.

“We engaged and we received requests to meet other stakeholders including opposition parties. We agreed that within three weeks we will meet. They will arrange the meeting. We are going to meet them so that we are able to bring the people of Zimbabwe together recognizing that they are coming from recent election and we need peace and stability in that province,” said Magashule referring to Zimbabwe a province.

Over the years South Africans have colloquially referred to Zimbabwe as South Africa’s province because of the number of Zimbabweans who cross to the

neighbouring country in search for jobs.

Despite the criticism, Magashule described the meeting as “very candid, frank, robust and open.”

Meanwhile, back home in South Africa opposition parties have taken President Ramaphosa to task for allowing his party delegation to violate Covid-19 lockdown rules after flying to Zimbabwe in a military jet.

The opposition want President Ramaphosa to charge Defence Minister Mapisa-Ngqakula for using a military plane with civilians when flights remain banned under the lockdown.

President Ramaphosa has demanded a report from the Defence Minister.