SOUTH Africa has a very strong vested interest in a stable Zimbabwe. The pressure on our state resources is massive as a result of instability to the north.
How will that pressure be relieved? Jacob Zuma seems to think that the “political solution” offered by a unity government led by Robert Mugabe with Morgan Tsvangirai will bring stability to Zimbabwe.
But this is a short-term answer that does not deal with the twin mainsprings of the Zimbabwean problem – the absence of a serious strategy to return the economy to health and the people’s continuing lack of confidence in their government.
As I write this, there are farmers being driven off their farms by mobs. If you don’t believe me, read this account published in The Times this morning. It was written by this paper’s former deputy editor, Moses Mudzwiti, a man who is not easily driven to exaggeration.
It is clear that there is no progress being made towards sorting out Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector, without which there can be no progress on rebuilding the economy.
And without political participation – a free and fair election and a government which represesents the majority, there can be no political progress.
At the moment there is but farcical progress on these two fronts.
Yet, like his predecessor Thabo Mbeki, Zuma appears mesmerised by Robert Mugabe, now in his third decade of power. He wants Zimbabwe readmitted to the Commonwealth.
The effect of this would be to bestow legitimacy on what Mugabe is continuing to do to Zimbabwe.

Related posts:

1. The end of Robert Mugabe
2. Robert Mugabe’s health problems: Don’t think they’re good news
3. Mugabe must not be welcomed to South Africa
4. What Mbeki must tell Mugabe
5. Excuse me, but Robert Mugabe is NOT a head of state