Embassy response to Wall Street Journal Europe article of 22 May 2008

The Wall Street Journal May 22, 2008 article: African Renaissance Lost asserts that South African President Mbeki is responsible for being the enabler of President Robert Mugabe to wreak havoc on the people of Zimbabwe. Further claims are that the impact of centuries of colonialism should not bear the responsibility in the current socio-economic situation facing many poor South Africans today. These claims are factually incorrect. In fact, colonialism it is one of the main factors responsible for the situation Zimbabweans face today.

When the violence occurred approximately two weeks ago, we anticipated that the forces in the media that continuously discredit any achievements in South Africa would undoubtedly link the violence to the internal situation in Zimbabwe.

We are also aware that personal attacks would continue to be made on our President ignoring the major achievements of his Administration such as brokering the peace in Burundi, the DRC, and domestically and most importantly, the sustained growth of the South African economy in the last four years, the jobs which have been created for South Africans and skilled foreigners, the number of homes that have been built and the service that has been extended to millions of previously ignored households. In fact it is the growth of the South African economy and the vibrancy of our informal sector, in particular, that is attracting people from Eastern Europe, the African continent and Asia to South Africa.

South Africa like most countries today is struggling with the number of undocumented immigrants flocking into the country in search of mainly economic opportunities. It is well known fact that the largest economy in the world has approximately 60 million undocumented immigrants. Even with immense financial resources that country is no closer to finding a solution to the problem than South Africa is.

President Mbeki yesterday authorised the SANDF to provide the Police Services with the logistical support it needs to continue to stabilise the situation. The SAPS have done a remarkable job in making arrests, housing the victims in police stations and providing much needed humanitarian assistance. This is in stark contrast to the police of the apartheid era whose job it was to suppress the movement of people and unleash terror on black people.

Contrary to the assertion made in the article, as facilitator President Mbeki received reports from both parties about violence perpetrated on their supporters and therefore instituted an investigation, the outcome of which will assist in identifying obstacles to a free and fair run-off. He refrained from making any statement at the time of the delay of results safe to emphasize that the rule of law had to be observed because some legal action was being considered by the courts.

On the matter of quiet diplomacy, President Mbeki articulately posed the question, “what is loud diplomacy?’ In his April 4, 2008 article in the Business Day, Tony Heard writes, “But a brazenly interventionist policy could have made things worse, for them and us. Mbeki, did, in fact, make known public his dislike for what was going on and the record will show this, but South African – and particularly English speaking white – emotions got whipped up over Zimbabwe that few of these critics noticed or cared. Mbeki did not put his criticisms as frequently or in the particular way the baying hounds wanted.’ He goes on at the end of the article, “Mountain tops are not Mbeki’s favourite place. So he is not going to ascend to any such place, beat his chest and take the credit.” President Mbeki is an experienced negotiator, and has therefore strictly adhered to the principle of confidentiality.

Jovial Rantao writes in the Star on April 4, 2008, “In Harare this week, in the glare of television cameras representing international media, the MDC not only acknowledged the role that South Africa had played in ensuring that Zimbabweans were able to campaign for and participate in an election that would lead to a new life. The acknowledgement by the MDC came a week after the most senior representative in Zimbabwe, the ambassador – conceded the same in a radio interview.”

On the bizarre claim based on arrogance which is informed by ignorance of the history of our region the article states that the problems of Zimbabwe have been imported into South Africa. It is matter of historical record that Zimbabweans have always been in South Africa since colonial times and have been part of the workforce in the South African economy. Their presence today is therefore nothing new. For that reason most of these Zimbabweans have even been naturalised and those who are currently in the country, the majority are documented.

The 14 years of democracy in South Africa has been very successful in addressing our social challenges, in particular the socio-economic situation in which many poor South Africans live; however, what government has achieved is nowhere nearly enough to undo the centuries of economic oppression and exclusion based on racial subjugation.

Our nation building agenda is unfolding under tremendous challenges, in the course of battling to integrate our own society into a cohesive unit; we are also faced with the added task of doing the same with those who land on our shores. This is no mean task.

There is an old journalistic adage, “facts are stubborn.” We hope that those who wish to write about our country will be guided by this.

Embassy of South Africa

Washington D.C.