I'm afraid this might be a pretext to offload the lethal cargo, facilitating annihilation of the Zimbabwean population by a mad regime. The generality of the Zimbabwean population are obviously preparing for the suffering and deaths soon to come. Someone in Angola please just make sure they do not offload these instruments of torture and murder.

What goods for Angola could have been on board that ship if its original destination was South Africa? I don't believe a word of this story.

Mindpower, you are right there is something wrong with this story. All of a sudden, Angola also has goods aboard the ship. The main point I want to make is there is plenty of media distortions in Southern Africa. The biggest liars are Anglo white minorities in the region. Reading stories in white anglo papers in the region, you would think the world has ended in Southern Africa. There is just too many hyperbolic articles. Most of it reflect Briton propaganda. The UK feels that there are still a colonial power for southern africa. I'm regularly invited to speak on white anglo minority racists by pan-african movements in the region. I'm surprised at the ignorance of my fellow africans about white minority agendas. Most of it, if not all, is not good for Africa. Mugabe may be our black dictator, but he knows one or two things about how to go after a white anglo, when he smells a bad rat!

Phiri - welcome the real world of the media - whether it's state owned or private, there are distortions, omissions and sensationalism. But if you happened to follow the news reports more closely, one of the first reports on this ship, while it was outside Durban, was that it had cargo for Angola AS WELL. And give me a break about being all-knowing on the state of mind of the white (it's mostly NON-anglo) minority in southern africa - take the time to speak to a number of us and realise that we're 'hysterical' as we see creeping corruption taint our previously highly professional public services, as the lights go off - daily, as the roads fall into potholes, as we lose our jobs, as our homes are burgled - again, as a gun is held to head for our car, as we are kicked off land we have legally owned for generations just to see it be wasted by some black big-wig. Finally our heart breaks when that final decision to buy a one-way ticket to the very foreign lands of Europe or the USA because it's either go there or have a total breakdown (or death) trying to stay in the land we love, that our great-great-great grandparents were born in. Most of us may be white, but we're not European. Finally you may discover that we're not stupid - we know there is no chance or future for a return of white minority rule. Just why does Africa have to self destruct? It's perverse because it only plays into the hands of that small white racist minority within our minority that sit back all smug at us and say 'we told you so'.

Hey whitey, you never owned the land - you STOLE IT.

Many white farmers paid the black Zim government for land AFTER independence and had it STOLEN from them. But a closed minded guy like you would only see that as justice. Shame.

Phiri you're like some old preacher who sees the devil behind every bush. Pity you can't see that the whites who are left in Africa are there because they want to be part of it, not dominate it.

Fascinating too that you can't see how Africa is being sold off to the Chinese. I hope you can speak Mandarin, you'll need it to talk to your future colonial masters.

Well, its really surprising to hear so much noise about a ship carrying arms for the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, being flushed all over by UK and USA, even the likes of Mwanawasa its even a shame to the BLACK African president for after being attacked from the left, right & center by the same people during his previous elections he has decided to discard his fellow blacks and go European. He thinks these white guys will ever take him as a normal AFRICAN deep in their hearts, instead they will know him as a willing sellout who cannot be trusted. Those arms are meant to defend Zimbabwean and not Zambian territory and hence Levy should keep out. Zimbabwe can only be defended militarily by ZDF and not Zambians so Zim has right to arm its soldiers and not via Levy. Levy remember SADC protocols do not supersede Zimbabwean CONSTITUTION and SOVEREIGNTY, please be advised not to overplay your chairmanship of this regional grouping.Viva Zimbabwe DEFENCE FORCES and their professionalism.

you are the one who sound like a european not mwanawasa, maybe where ever you are in you country you are sleeping in a comfortable bed and for ou to buy bread yu donot have to wake up at 4am or to sleep at the door of the shop to get bread or park you car at home because there is no fuein the country, i have been to zimbabwe and i have lived there i know what is like to be a zimbabwean. ok the what you so called white, they have lost all their property in zimbabwe. their land and farms are taken by force and those you so call white were born in zimbabwe, what do you call them? stop thinking that something is wrong when it is being said by whites agaist africa or africans and it is okay when africans turn a blind eye on te african crisis because they will sound white if they speak out. my dear friend if you want to see what s lik in zimbabwe go there and then see if you will say the same thing after.

There is no fatal cargo headed for Zimbabwe. There is a regular cargo, part of a contract agreed last year, that has not had a problem being delivered before.

The Zimbabwe Defence Force have the right and the requirement to train with live rounds (about all there is on the ship) like every other defence force in the world, and as they have done all these years with talk of fatal cargo.

Angolan president Dos Santos has a better understanding in dealing with the west than Mwanawasa. It is in Angola that we saw America arming Savimbi and being defeated by the Cuban supported Angolan Army. Angola defeated Apartheid South Africa in Quito province, a fierce battle that gave birth to independent Namibia and cowed Boers to a negotiating table with ANC that resulted in freeing Mandela. Mugabe has been at the helm of Zimbabwe and international politics, his policies in 28 years made the Zimbabwe Defense Forces and Zimbabwe Republic Police recognised by UN and the Zimbabwean uniformed forces participated with distinction and honor in various countries under the aegis of the UN. Zimbabweans here at home do not see a threat in arming its national army and improving skills. Remember we are the one who can vote Tsvangirai in and our vote is there for everyone to see, an even tally of parliamentary seats so far approved. The British and its allies are sponsoring an arms embargo against our nation. Brown is very passionate about this idea for it sells well in terms of suffocating international trade with countries that are still doing business with us. Ammunition is very dangerous when a country descends to chaos and the only unruliness possible here will unquestionably be caused by land repossessions by former white British settlers. I have no doubt that those die hard rhodies will all be terminated by the populace if ever they attempt to reoccupy distributed farms. Year 2000 is not very far for anyone to remember the fighting spirit of the Zimbabwean people. Britain is scared of little and poorly armed Zimbabwean forces because their plan to reoccupy this once stolen land will lead to bloodshed of their kith and kin. Well I am about to drive to MEREKI for my afternoon braai, as for bread there are severe shortages, my fellows around here know the causes of the economic crisis we are experiencing. We are concerned but we are not at war with each other, we comprehend the struggle and propaganda that comes with it. Our resolve as a nation is expressed when we refuse to be dragged into unnecessary conflicts here. For those who purport to speak for us – shame on you!

onesoul, you are totally deluded. Even a fully armed Zim army would be no match for any European force. But that's inconsequential since the UK has no interest in invading Zim except in your poor brainwashed mind. You might want to try not reading The Herald.

It's really suprising how us Africans can not find benefits in resolving matters without noise.Firstly those arms why do they have to be taken to zimbabwe when they are proplems that are leaving alot of people dead.How can you honestly start recounting votes when the results are not yet released?That's one thing we all Africans should be thinkng.Mugabe should first acept any situation and not to use his presidency to coufuse that beautiful and potential country.Angola too should first assess what is in the ship and use the heart of pricipal to judge.We have alot of leaders in zimbabwe,chidren that can charge the all africa,children that can bring peace in africa.The ship should offload what is best to us africans at large.Zimbabwe can have the right to buy anything but not to decide who should live or die.We can let that happen.

This is a very good way of dealing with enermies. "Quite diplomacy". About 15 years ago Angola got big favours and help from Zimbabwe. PRINCIPLE is the way to go. You cannot change your principles simply because an enermy has pressurised you to attack and isolate a brother. There are people like Zuma who keep changing goalposts. I don't think South Africans will ever enjoy their birthright, ownership of usefull land, because Zuma has already turned againist his own race. We have to be one rigid body.

Interesting debate on the Chinese ship.Given the political climate in Zimbabwe right now it is understandable that there would be such an uproar on this parcel.The Zimbabwean people have no form of defence against a Government that is a law unto themselves , a Government who pretends to promote democracy and when the people exercise their democratic right they are killed and beaten up.We salute the South African port workers who have more of a humanitarian heart than most leaders of this continent. GOD IS WATCHING and one day we will all be judged by our deeds.