South Africans shocked by Mugabe insults

South Africans reacted sharply to comments made by President Robert Mugabe during the launch of Zanu PF's election manifesto at Zimbabwe Grounds Friday.

The country's octogenarian leader not only inexplicably threatened to pull Zimbabwe out of Sadc at the rally, he also tore into South African President Jacob Zuma's trusted international relations advisor, Lindiwe Zulu, who is also one of the facilitators to Harare's political crisis - describing her as "an ordinary, stupid and idiotic street woman" for allegedly meddling in Zimbabwe's affairs.

Zulu's crime appears to be her recent suggestion that Zimbabwe should have postponed its forthcoming elections to pave the way for the implementation of agreed, but outstanding media and security reforms.

Zulu refused to comment when contacted by the Daily News.

"I have no comment. I don't think commenting on that will solve the situation," said Zulu.

However, an SA government official who requested anonymity said last night that Pretoria was "appalled" to hear that Mugabe had "stooped this low to attack both Sadc and one of our officials at his rally today (yesterday)".

"If he did indeed, let this old man be warned that we are all capable of acting very badly. After all, it was Sadc and South Africa who made sure that he is ble to enjoy the status of being acknowledged around the world as the president of Zimbabwe.

"So, like the laughing stock and mampara (fool) that he is making of himself, he is effectively biting the hand that feeds him.

"He clearly has become oblivious to the fact that whether he wins or loses, Sadc and South Africa will still be here and that he will probably still need our assistance.

"We expected this kind of unnecessary and destructive vitriol from the likes of (Jonathan) Moyo, not from the State president of Zimbabwe, whom all of us have gone to great lengths to prop up.


"But if that's his wish, then good luck to him," the angry official said.

An analyst last night described Mugabe's utterances as "ill-advised and unpresidential", whatever his personal views of Zulu were.

"It is very likely that as a direct result of this poor behaviour and choice of words by president Mugabe that relations between South Africa and Zimbabwe will plummet over a fairly frivolous issue.

"If this analysis is correct, this will have a deleterious effect not just on Mugabe, Zanu PF and the government, but also on all Zimbabweans given South Africa's political and economic standing within Sadc and the international community.

"What makes Mugabe's appalling statement even more shocking is that president Zuma very clearly and publicly boxed in Mugabe's and Zimbabwe's corner when he recently met President Obama in Pretoria, by calling for the lifting of sanctions and the normalisation of relations with Harare.

"So, why shoot oneself in the foot?" Johannesburg-based Shepherd Mntungwa asked.