www.thesouthafrican.com
6 - 12 August 2013
Issue 526
39721
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‘ZUMA HAS FAILED ZIMBABWE AND SADC’
INSIDE:
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| Democratic Alliance condemns President Jacob Zuma for congratulating Robert Mugabe on winning last week’s Zimbabwean presidential election, while international pressure mounts to re-examine results of the ‘farcical’ poll by STAFF REPORTER
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has come under fire for congratulating Robert Mugabe on his victory in last week’s Zimbabwean elections, despite international concern that there were ‘serious irregularities’ in the poll. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on Saturday announced that Mugabe’s ZANUPF won the presidential election with a ‘landslide’ 61 percent of the vote, compared with 34 percent for Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Zuma extended his ‘profound congratulations’ to Mugabe on his re-election as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe following the ‘successful harmonised elections’ on 31 July. Zuma urged all political parties in Zimbabwe to accept the outcome of the elections as election observers reported it ‘an expression of the will of the people.’ Zuma noted that South Africa and Zimbabwe enjoy ‘strong, solid and cordial historical relations’ and expressed South Africa’s ‘readiness to continue to partner with Zimbabwe in pursuit of a mutually beneficial cooperation.’ However Democratic Alliance MP Ian Davidson, Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, condemned Zuma’s support for Mugabe. “By congratulating Robert Mugabe on his stolen election, President Zuma has failed Zimbabwe, failed Zimbabweans and failed the Southern African Development Community
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(SADC) by not providing the leadership that the region desperately required,” Davidson said. “Zuma’s congratulations are not only extremely premature... but shamefully legitimises undemocratic practices during elections, and sends a message that significant irregularities will be tolerated by his administration” he added. Both observer missions and civil society noted irregularities with the voters’ roll and voting process. Parties were denied timely access to the roll and the roll itself was clearly flawed. The DA’s observer also saw people being allowed to vote with registration slips which opens the process to abuse and fraud,” he added. “Zuma has failed Zimbabwe and allowed Mugabe to get away with a farce of an election, instead of taking a tough stance at SADC to ensure that reforms such as free media and a change in the security apparatus were in place and that Zimbabweans were ensured a free and fair democratic election, especially in his position as facilitator of the monitoring group of the Global Political Agreement.” Davidson called on Zuma to exercise leadership in SADC by seeking an urgent meeting of all heads of state to discuss the serious concerns that had been noted. Tsvangirai says his party will exhaust all legal remedies to challenge the results of the elections while Britain, the United States and Australia have called on SADC and the African Union
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DRUMSTRUCK: The percussive sensation Drum Struck arrives at this month’s Edinburgh festival fresh from Africa (via Japan and NYC). The show has been compared to an off-Broadway Lion King for its infectious energy and rhythm. More details on www.thesouthafrican.com
(AU) which last week gave their seal of approval to the election, to revisit their conclusions. According to The Telegraph, independent monitors claimed that as many as 750,000 voters were prevented from casting their ballots on Wednesday because of irregularities in voters’ lists. They also allege thousands of unregistered voters were allowed to vote. A total of 3 480 047 voters
cast their ballots. Foreign Secretary William Hague said Britain had “grave concerns” about the conduct of the election. Although the United States, along with other western countries, was barred from monitoring these elections, John Kerry, US Secretary of State, said he was concerned by delayed provision of the voters’ roll and allegations of organised tampering.
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