South Africa's ruling African National Congress party has accused Zimbabwe's government of violating democratic rights, while ANC leader Jacob Zuma said the political crisis in the neighboring nation was “out of control”.
ANC says Mugabe is 'riding roughshod' over democracy
The ANC is “deeply dismayed by the actions of the government of Zimbabwe, which is riding roughshod over the hard won democratic rights of the people of that country,” the ANC said in an e-mailed statement today.
“The ANC cannot be indifferent to the flagrant violation of every principle of democratic governance.”
The ANC's statement and Mr Zuma's comments contrast with the silence of South African President Thabo Mbeki, who lost control of the ANC to Mr Zuma in December.
In Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe said today he has not ruled out negotiations with the opposition MDC but that elections must go ahead on Friday to meet a legal obligation.
Mr Mugabe added that no one wanted to kill opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
"Now that the people have come out, the MDC sees this great wave of the masses, and Tsvangirai is frightened. He has run to seek refuge at the Dutch embassy. What for? These are voters, they will do you no harm. No-one wants to kill Tsvangirai."
Mr Tsvangirai pulled out of the June 27th presidential run-off election on Sunday, saying his supporters would risk their lives if they voted. He said at least 86 of his supporters had been killed and 200,000 forced to flee from their homes.
The MDC formally confirmed the decision to pull out in a letter delivered to the electoral commission today.
Mr Mbeki has expressed regret over the situation in Zimbabwe but has not condemned the government of Mr Mugabe. Mr Mbeki's spokesman has said that talks toward a negotiated settlement in Zimbabwe are needed.
Mr Mbeki fought against apartheid from exile and was for a time sheltered by Mr Mugabe whose Zanu-PF won independence from the UK in 1980 after a civil war against white minority rule.
But Mr Zuma's allies include the Congress of South African Trade Unions, which has ties to the MDC, a party formed by unions.
“We are making it clear that the values, the objectives that liberation movements fought for are not what Zanu-PF is ascribing to today,” Mr Zuma said in a speech in Johannesburg today. “Action by the international community, such as the United Nations, is more urgent today.”
Free and fair elections cannot be held and a negotiated solution must be found, the ANC said, adding that Mr Mugabe's plan to proceed with the poll “will only serve to widen the divisions.”
Mr Mbeki has been mandated by the 14-member Southern African Development Community, which includes South Africa and Zimbabwe, to mediate a settlement in Zimbabwe. About 3 million Zimbabweans, or a quarter of the population, have fled the world's highest inflation rate, at least 355,000 per cent, and a decade of recession into South Africa.
Bloomberg