IFP: MANTASHE COMMENTS ON ZANU-PF REGRETTABLE

It is regrettable that the Secretary-General of the ANC, Mr Gwede Mantashe has publicly endorsed Zanu-PF, with regard to their prospects in the forthcoming general elections in Zimbabwe (see Sunday Times report).

He should in fact, 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.

The ANC may argue that Mr Mantashe represents the ANC and not the government of South Africa, and that he was therefore not speaking on behalf of Government, forgetting that there is a strong interlock between the ANC as the ruling party and the Government of the day. In other words, because of this undeniable link, the ANC espouses government's policies, or visa versa, the Government espouses ANC policies - foreign and otherwise.

The ANC should not forget that Zanu-PF has been accused of serious violations of human rights and other atrocities.

Our plea therefore, as the IFP, to the Secretary-General of the ANC is to instead foster unity of the people of Zimbabwe, and to encourage an all-inclusive process towards free and fair elections  - void of any violence and intimidation, which has come to characterize previous elections in that country.

Otherwise, his current comments and approach will unfortunately only achieve the opposite.

Statement issued by Mr Ben Skosana MP, IFP Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, December 12 2011

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