Cape Town — The South African government has joined African Union (AU) calls to the international community for economic sanctions against Zimbabwe to be lifted.
"An important element at the AU Summit was the expectation and call to the international community to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe to allow all leaders to give the formation of a unity government a chance to succeed.
"People in Zimbabwe will also more likely support the peace process if they can see a number of positive spin-offs happening," Foreign Affairs Director General Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba told media, Tuesday.
The DG highlighted that South Africa was calling for the sanctions to be lifted as it would facilitate, in particular, the inflow of much needed humanitarian aid into Zimbabwe in a crucial political time for that country.
With regard to recent media reports about Zimbabwe taking over the Rand as its currency, the DG said these reports should be considered as a possibility as the debate on this issue has been ongoing for some time.
"If this becomes the case, I'm sure all sorts of precautionary agreements will be entered in to.
"If it were to move towards that, the South African authorities would obviously have to enter into serious dialogue with Zimbabwe authorities," Dr Ntsaluba said.
The DG confirmed that Zimbabwe's political parties are sticking to the framework for the formation of a unity government, as set out by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the swearing in of the prime minister and deputy prime minister will be taking place on Wednesday.
President Kgalema Motlanthe, addressing National Assembly on Tuesday said: "we are heartened at the recognition from this house that there is progress in Zimbabwe. Shortly, Morgan Tsvangirai will be sworn in as the Prime Minister in Zimbabwe along with two deputy prime ministers.
"To this end, SADC and the AU have called on the international community to end sanctions against Zimbabwe and to assist the people," the president announced.
The DG said Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is likely to travel to Zimbabwe to represent South Africa at the swearing in ceremony on Wednesday, while President Motlanthe will travel to Zimbabwe on Friday for the swearing in of Zimbabwe's minister and deputy ministers.
Comments 1 to 5 of 16 Post a comment
Just bse South Africa is BULLIED by OLD BOB bse he wants to jetset the globe he can do so in SA the international Community must not be BULLIED BY SA
Mugabe doesn't want to jetset the globe, he wants to flee with the briefcases stuffed with forex he keeps in his office suite. If the "sanctions" are lifted, he will vanish into one of his mansions in Hong Kong or Rio de Janero, and take what's left of Zimbabwe's economy with him. Everything else he's doing is an effort to stay alive long enough to get the US and EU to lift the "sanctions."
Leaders of SA hatched a plot to help Mugabe survive popular onslaught. SA bullied even SADC in this process.
SA has no moral right to ask for the lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe. MDC politicians are still lingering in jail. Over 4 million Zimbos are still living in exile fearing Mugabe's brutal Army! Mugabe's people are still at the head of institutions that have killed, maimed and raped innocent citizens.
What will lifting sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies travelling overseas will do to lift Zimbabwe's economy?
Lifting sanctions against these criminals will only enable them to stack away illegally acquired proceeds from the sale of gold minted in The Congo to European banks!
Sanctions should be lifted after solid proof of performance in areas where they have hit indirectly the people in the streets.
Sanctions should still continue in other areas whereby the possibility of dragging Mugabe and cronies before the ICC should be preserved!
Countries should not listen to the government of South africa. A couple of weeks ago some people on this forum warned that the 300 million rand given by SA for aid to Zimbabwe would be as meaningless as throwing that money in the Limpopo river. Now reports come that this help indeed all disappeared in the wrong pockets. So if SA wants to continue the mad policy of sponsoring a gangsterregime it's up to them. SA taxpayers will be very happy. But real recovery of Zimbabwe is only possible if Mugabe and other criminals are removed. Till that time western countries should not lift any targeted sanctions on Zimbabwe. Let SA and their SADC friends sort out the problems they created in the African way. In the meantime the worldcup of soccer 2010 should be hosted somewhere else. It's clear Zanu and Anc are connected in the same corrupt diamond business and so on. I begin to wonder what SA will look like in 20 years from now on.
How long do you want us Zimbabweans to suffer? You do not want us to have friends unless we let you operate Rhodesia again. Keep on trying, my friend. There is nothing like the presence of hyenas for sheep or mombe to keep together. I find you useful. Even a lot of people in MDC-T now realise that you are actually wolves in sheep skin. So patronising agent provocateurs.
See All Comments