News / National
South Africa will not isolate Zimbabwe despite DA and Maimane's call
05 Aug 2024 at 07:22hrs | Views
Pressure is mounting on President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government over accusations of human rights abuses and suppression of dissent, with South African opposition groups calling for the severance of diplomatic relations between the neighboring countries.
Recently, Zimbabwe has seen a series of arbitrary arrests and brutal treatment of activists accused of planning protests against the government ahead of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, scheduled for August 17, where Mnangagwa will assume the rotational chairmanship of the regional bloc.
Among those arrested are Jacob Ngarivhume, Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, and Samuel Gwenzi. Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Senator Jameson Timba and 78 others are also in remand prison following their arrest over a month ago during a Day of the African Child commemoration in Harare's Avondale suburb.
These arrests have sparked condemnation from opposition parties and political observers both locally and internationally.
Mmusi Maimane, leader of Build One South Africa (BOSA), has argued that South Africa should sever diplomatic ties with Zimbabwe, criticizing the Mnangagwa government as a dictatorship. Maimane asserted that the recent arrests and abuses of political rights justify his position and condemned the South African government for allegedly ignoring these human rights violations.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has supported calls for moving the SADC Summit venue from Zimbabwe due to these concerns.
In contrast, African National Congress (ANC) spokesperson Zuko Godlimpi stated that South Africa will not isolate Zimbabwe. He noted that while the ANC acknowledges the issues in Zimbabwe, it believes that any intervention should come from within the SADC community and be part of the summit itself.
Recently, Zimbabwe has seen a series of arbitrary arrests and brutal treatment of activists accused of planning protests against the government ahead of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, scheduled for August 17, where Mnangagwa will assume the rotational chairmanship of the regional bloc.
Among those arrested are Jacob Ngarivhume, Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, and Samuel Gwenzi. Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Senator Jameson Timba and 78 others are also in remand prison following their arrest over a month ago during a Day of the African Child commemoration in Harare's Avondale suburb.
These arrests have sparked condemnation from opposition parties and political observers both locally and internationally.
Mmusi Maimane, leader of Build One South Africa (BOSA), has argued that South Africa should sever diplomatic ties with Zimbabwe, criticizing the Mnangagwa government as a dictatorship. Maimane asserted that the recent arrests and abuses of political rights justify his position and condemned the South African government for allegedly ignoring these human rights violations.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has supported calls for moving the SADC Summit venue from Zimbabwe due to these concerns.
In contrast, African National Congress (ANC) spokesperson Zuko Godlimpi stated that South Africa will not isolate Zimbabwe. He noted that while the ANC acknowledges the issues in Zimbabwe, it believes that any intervention should come from within the SADC community and be part of the summit itself.
Source - NewZimbabwe
