Harare — NGIYAKWEMUKELA Msholozi! Welcome to Zimbabwe Cde President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma.
We are honoured to be the third African country to host you in your capacity as president of the brotherly and sisterly people of South Africa after your official visits to Libya and Angola.
Your itinerary shows you are retracing the steps you took brandishing your machine-gun to bring freedom to South Africa.
As Zimbabweans we hope you have brought us one more machine-gun and artillery to help us complete the lap of economic independence, of which the land reform programme whose fete the Harare Agricultural Show you will officially open tomorrow is an integral part.
We are a people who share a proud history having given ANC cadres not only refuge but also passports to travel the progressive world to highlight the illegitimacy of the apartheid regime.
We are indebted to you and the people of South Africa for the continued support you have given us since our stand-off with London began, support that came in the face of fierce opposition from powerful Western forces that mistakenly believed you would abet their cause against us.
Your name and that of your predecessor, Cde Thabo Mbeki, who helped our three main political parties to find each other on the round table, have a special place in the history of our country.
A history of Africa's maiden victory over neo-colonial regime change projects. Through it all South Africa has personified to the hilt, the biblical neighbour by refusing to be used against its brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe.
Others dubbed the two of you their "point men on Zimbabwe", yet others implored you "to work closely with them over Zimbabwe" but your resolute refrain: "Zimbabwe is not a province of South Africa and Zimbabweans have the capacity to resolve their problems," always rang out.
That steadfastness should inspire us all to believe in ourselves and respect each other's political space. We hope the condescending Westerners have been put on notice and will respect us enough to stop meddling in our affairs.
Though you come with many hats -- Sadc chairman, South African president, revolutionary colleague, blood brother, and in-law we are honoured by the way you have endorsed our land revolution by gracing the 99th edition of our premier agricultural showcase.
A showcase that seeks to highlight the successes our agrarian reform programme has made in the face of staunch opposition from our erstwhile colonisers. Part of their opposition to the land revolution came by way of ruinous economic sanctions and other coercive measures that have crippled our economy over the past decade.
Sanctions that, no doubt, have also been felt by South Africans not only in their capacity as our biggest trading partners but also through the influx of economic refugees.
It is providential that you visit us at a time our main principals President Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai have agreed on a common anti-sanctions strategy, a strategy that no doubt requires the support of your good office.
Please revel in the measure of political and socio-economic stability you helped cultivate, as you meet our warm and friendly people.
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Man, ZANU PF has really descended into conspicuous desperation. If ZUMA backs off because of this flattering glorification, then we're really in trouble. There is indeed somebody at the helm of this nonsense who clearly has some brain cells missing. That individual is very dangerous and should not be let to make any vital decision. What I see here is clearly a condescending attitude toward Zuma, thinking maybe he can be bought off by peanuts. Shame
SHUT UP you piece of trash Herald. I hope Zuma comes and pushes for media freedom - and once that is done this Zanu PF motormouth will be silenced. "Cde President Zuma" - what kind of a title is this you have invented - what writing is this?? Uneducated government rubbish.
Esigonowhere;
Be reminded, you and all like minded, that Zuma is not SADC and SADC is not Zuma. The guarantors of the process taking place in Zimbabwe are SADC and AU and not any Head of State - strong or weak, big or small, poor or rich.
President Jacob Zuma is coming to Zimbabwe as a brother and not as an enemy of the people and will be in our country for a specific purpose which has nothing to do with so-called "out-standing issues" or being tough on anyone. If he were to do that - which I am sure he will not - he will have exposed himself as a partisan SADC chairman.
The really "out-standing issues" are what you are not talking about - sanctions, production and reviving everything that was destroyed by the sanctions that were called for by ---- you know who.
Takunya, how does it feel to know that everyone here thinks you are a joke and that no one takes anything you say seriously?
Awt, tokolosh can't even take his own comments seriously, let alone anyone else. The guy's a jerk. More than likey takunya is Richerson's house boy playing with his computor when his Baas is out wreaking havoc.
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