Cape Town — The new Zimbabwean prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, travelled to Cape Town, South Africa, on Friday to appeal for aid to South Africa and other countries in the Southern African Development Community. An edited transcript of comments made by President Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa and Prime Minister Tsvangirai:
President Kgalema Motlanthe (KM): The Zimbabwe delegation, led by Prime Minister Tsvangirai, presented to us the reality of the challenges that they face as a country and as a people and with regards to matters mainly economic and matters related to the fiscus. They also presented to us their preliminary plan for responding to these challenges, which we have agreed to deal with and consider as the South African government and also in my capacity as the chairperson of SADC to direct the ministers of finance to sit down, buckle down, to develop the detail of how this challenge could best be dealt with.
So that is work in progress. We hope that by the end of next week we will be able to have clear, detailed action plans to respond to the requests of our Zimbabwean neighbours. We also received a briefing on how they are dealing with the issue of Mr. Roy Bennett [nominated by Tsvangirai as a deputy minister in the new unity government] and other detainees. We have been assured that they have been granted bail and that the matter would be resolved amicably by the inclusive government.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai (MT): I would like to thank and appreciate the fact that the president has responded to our request to engage on the situation, after the consummation of the inclusive government last Friday, our preliminary assessment of the crisis that we face. We had a very constructive and productive discussion but as you know this is a preliminary expose of our situation to the South African government. They have listened very carefully and we've agreed that the various officials in the Ministry of Finance should work at a detailed response and see how they can assist us. I also want to appreciate the fact that the president has undertaken as chairman of SADC to engage other SADC governments in this effort and of course to look at the broader international community to see whether they can also assist.
Our situation is dire. We face key priority areas of food, of health and education and I am sure that these matters will be attended to.
As for the critical issues of confidence and credibility regarding abductees and Roy Bennett, I am sure that we are working slowly to deal with that matter and to make sure that it does not become the [focus of] attention. The real [focus of] attention is the plight of Zimbabweans and if we can focus on that, that will certainly lead to a more positive image of the inclusive government.
Tsvangirai was asked for more details about Roy Bennett and whether he had a birthday message for President Mugabe.
MT: The situation of Roy Bennett is very straightforward. Roy Bennett was arrested 10 days after he had gone into the country, was taken to Mutare and the situation is that he is still being detained in custody following his application for bail. That is one issue, the due process of the law.
There is another issue, which is political, and on the political side myself, President [Robert] Mugabe and Professor [Arthur] Mutambara [the deputy prime minister] have all agreed that everyone who is under detention must be given opportunity for bail, and I am sure that those detainees and Roy Bennett would be processed to be given bail in the shortest possible time. As for the birthday, everyone who is in this room, when you have got your birthday we wish you happy birthday.
Has the Zimbabwean government asked for 600 million U.S. dollars worth of aid from South Africa as was forecast in this morning's paper?
KM: No, there are no figures to speak of. Those are going to be crunched by the technical people and will emerge-by the end of next week we will have a clearer picture of what their requirements are. The finance ministers will be meeting as well to look at that issue. So at this point in time there are no figures.
Is there a ballpark figure?
KM: No, because there are current account issues and all of those issues. We can't adopt a sequential approach to the challenges there, so we have got the short-term, mid-term and long-term challenges that have got to be addressed simultaneously.
There's a lot of speculation of the Rand being incorporated [into the currency in Zimbabwe]. Have you discussed that? And also the matter of the Reserve Bank governor [Gideon Gono], is he going to survive your administration?
MT: Well first of all I am sure you are aware that our currency has been devalued almost to the point of non-use, so we are using, we are proposing to use a multi-currency denominated approach. It's a short-term thing and as we proceed we will be able to see whether the Zimbabwean dollar can be re-used again. But at the moment there is no talk about "Randification" in the country. It is a multi-denomination facility that we are looking at, U.S. dollar, rand and all that, so we are not specifically focusing on the rand as a currency for Zimbabwe.
The issue of the Reserve Bank governor is a matter that we are attending to, and in due course we will of course evaluate his performance and his role, and I am sure that a decision will be made at an appropriate time once this is done. I have heard people who are trying to crucify him even before you have evaluated his work. Our approach is that it has to be in terms of the processes in government and at the appropriate time a decision will be made.
For how long do you plan paying civil servants in U.S. dollars and what is the correct figure for the number of civil servants employed?
MT: At the moment we are doing what is called a status review of all ministries. There is a figure of over 230,000 public employees. We will have to evaluate how many really are at work because [...] there is a huge chunk of diaspora workers [living out of the country] from the civil service of Zimbabwe. But let me say that the issue of paying them in [foreign] currency was the first step to intervene to help them with an allowance in the first place. As we move forward [we will] create the necessary facility for payment in foreign currency for a while until the real value of the Zimbabwe dollar is established.
Could we get some indication as to the sort of aid discussed? Would it be direct aid? Or via an institution like the African Development Bank (AfDB)? What are the implications for the recently-tabled South African budget?
KM: Well, yes indeed, the meeting next week of the finance ministers would also include the participation of Donald Kaberuka, who heads the African Development Bank, and this is really to ensure that the challenges of the economic recovery of Zimbabwe would be tackled with the participation of the international community. You will recall that to date many of the western countries, including the European Union, have imposed sanctions against Zimbabwe, so the idea really is to ensure that we unlock that so that Zimbabwe can be treated as a normal country with which trade can be conducted. So there are no implications for the budget that the minister announced last week.
PM Tsvangirai, could you put a number on the reconstruction needs of Zimbabwe? Could you also say which other multi-lateral or international, either governments or organisations you would be meeting with to discuss a plan for the rebuilding of Zimbabwe?
MT: At the moment our real focus is to look at those short-term interventions - in the re-opening of schools, in the re-opening health facilities and in the food situation in the country. As for the medium- to long-term economic recovery programme, it has not been assessed at this time how much is needed, but I think it will run into billions of dollars - maybe as high as five billion dollars. But that's the medium- to long-term recovery programme. What we're looking for [now] is a short-term intervention to make sure that at least we are jump-starting those facilities or those sections that affect the people.
Besides short term measures, are you also looking to facilitate foreign direct investment? Regarding the indigenisation bill are you looking to scrap that?
MT: That's a specific focus but I can say that obviously as a country that is emerging from such a dire situation, foreign direct investment is one of the areas of focus of this government. Specifically on the indigenisation bill, I cannot make a comment but it has to be reviewed, anything that is inhibitive for foreign direct investment, for any investment in the country, has to be reviewed and discussed and once a position is taken we create the enabling environment for that foreign direct investment.
The historical strength of Zimbabwe's economy was always agriculture. What are you contemplating in terms of land reform and agricultural reconstruction?
MT: Well in the global political agreement one of the issues that was addressed was the issue of land reform; to give finality to an equitable land reform programme . What is entailed in that programme is that you have to set up a land commission that has to look at the tenure systems and the land rights. That's one aspect.
As far as agriculture is concerned there are a number of interventions that may be necessary. One is the revitalisation, security of tenure, in the agricultural sector so that there is forward planning, training of the farmers, various assistance in the inputs, especially when it comes to the next agricultural season, starting with the winter crop. So there are a number of programmes that are already in place to ensure that our agricultural sector is revitalised.
Does South Africa believe that if it produces a good aid package it will put pressure on Europe and the United States to deliver money, will it hurry up the aid that has been promised?
KM: I think we are really acting as good neighbours. Zimbabwe are our neighbours and in the spirit of good neighbourliness their first port of call happens to be us in South Africa. Therefore we've got to respond positively so that when we ask others to come to the party it should be that we ourselves are giving the lead.
MT: To me SADC is the guarantor of the global political agreement. Their show of confidence in the process gives confidence in the international community, therefore, starting with SADC there must be a demonstrable show of confidence by SADC itself in the new government, otherwise no one is going to show confidence in the new government unless the region itself feels confident that this is a process that they are able to back and that they are able to endorse as a way forward.
Have you decided how much money is needed to deal with the cholera situation? What more could South Africa do to further assist Zimbabwe?
KM: We as SADC have participated in establishing the framework, which is all-inclusive. It includes the broadest cross-section of distributors in Zimbabwe, ranging from NGOs, the World Health Organisation, grain growers. This is a structure that was established for the distribution of agricultural inputs, including chlorine to try and purify water and so on. That work has been unfolding for a while now. In fact I'm sure [the] prime minister will confirm now that it's a method that has worked - that is how the spread of cholera was contained in Zimbabwe.
MT: Our response to our health delivery system has to focus on a number of interventions and the causes. For instance [with] cholera you have to support the local authorities for them to deal with water reticulation and sewage reticulation facilities. You also have to deal with the drugs that are necessary for malaria, tuberculosis, for HIV/Aids, so our approach to health is both preventative as well as curative.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
I am sure that with the support that is already been there in responding to the outbreak of cholera, I think those interventions have produced very notable results. We continue to monitor the cholera spread but I think that we are in a position to talk of moving towards going to the root causes of this particular disease.
What is the stance of the unity government towards aid from the British government?
MT: Well I want to make a reference to a Chinese president who once said: "I don't care whether the cat is brown or black as long as it catches mice." Aid is aid, we don't care where it comes from as long as we have it as Zimbabweans.
Will incentives be offered to Zimbabweans who have left the country to come back and help with the rebuilding process?
MT: Well the issue of Zimbabweans in the diaspora for political and economic reasons is well known. We are aware of close to three to four million the figure fluctuates from the conservative to the progressive ones. All I can say is that it's now time for Zimbabweans to look positively at this new political dispensation and come back to reconstruct the country. There are no financial incentives. We'll create the environment for everyone to come back home. Anyone who wants to make a contribution is welcome, and I think as everyone sees this positive development I'm sure that Zimbabweans of all professions will come back to make that contribution.
Some reports say that the 30 people who have been held, and maybe even Roy Bennett, have been used as a kind of bargaining chip by the Joint Operations Command to secure amnesty for themselves. Are there indeed demands from elements within Zanu-PF for guarantees against prosecution?
MT: No, there's no relation between the abductees and Roy Bennett-with regards to that speculative story, all I know is that there are people who are behind [bars] as inmates and they have to be released on bail.
There are no negotiations with any other institution in government about swapping positions and negotiating positions of amnesty or whatever.
Remember that in the global political agreement there is no provision for amnesty. Those who break the law will have to face the due process.
That's all I know. There's no such thing as "let's swap for this in order for that," there's no bargain for that.
