ANC's public endorsement of Zanu-PF severely criticised

International Affairs spokesman for the tribal based South African political party, Inkatha Freedom Party, Ben Skosana says it is regrettable that the ANC has publicly endorsed Zanu-PF.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe last week told a Zanu-PF national conference that his party was willing to assist in the Zimbabwean liberation movement's election campaign.

He reportedly told the conference that the ANC and Zanu-PF belonged together.

"The ANC will wait for Zanu-PF to come to us for advice about elections. Our teams stand ready to share experiences. You must do it now so that there is still time to change things before elections," he reportedly said.

Skosana said Mantashe should rather have encouraged all Zimbabwean parties to work together for peaceful elections.

"It is regrettable that Mantashe has publicly endorsed Zanu-PF with regard to its prospects in the coming general elections in Zimbabwe," Skosana said.

"He should have encouraged the leaders of the government of national unity in Zimbabwe to work towards free and fair elections in Zimbabwe, regardless of who wins."

He dismissed the ANC's defence that Mantashe was speaking on behalf of the party and not the government.

"The ANC might argue that Mantashe represents the ANC and not the government of South Africa, and that he was therefore not speaking on behalf of the government, forgetting that there is a strong interlock between the ANC as ruling party and the government of the day," he said.

ANC spokesman Keith Khoza said the ANC had a programme to build strong relations with former liberation movements.

"Our support for Zanu-PF is based on fraternal relations."