ZIMBABWE and South Africa’s ruling parties have crossed swords over policy differences after African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Gwede Mantashe attacked the country’s economic policies.
Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo yesterday rubbished Mantashe saying the ANC should keep its policy of “accommodating colonisers” while Zimbabwe continued to empower its citizens.
Mantashe reportedly warned South Africa against taking the Zimbabwean route that saw it plummeting from its “breadbasket of Africa” status to a net importer of “almost everything”.
“Look at Zimbabwe. It used to be the bread basket of Africa. Today it imports almost everything. The Zimbabwean dollar has disappeared. This economy will disappear if that is the example we want to follow,” Mantashe was quoted saying. He was referring to Zanu PF’s populist policies including the chaotic land reform programme and the Indigenisation policy that have seen the flight of foreign investors in hordes.
But Gumbo said the South African ruling party should concentrate on its country’s affairs saying Zanu PF strived to better the lives of its people. “We have our model which we feel is the best in Africa and they have their own because they want to accommodate colonisers. For us, we suffered because of our principle, however things will change in the next few years,” Gumbo said.
“They remain under the rule of the Boers, but our suffering is short-term. We have empowered our people and the fruits of empowerment are being seen.” Zanu PF and the ANC relations took a nasty turn during the inter-party negotiations when President Robert Mugabe accused President Jacob Zuma’s international relations advisor Lindiwe Zulu of being “an idiotic street woman”.
Mugabe was to later apologise to Zulu and Zuma. Mantashe last year again accused Zanu PF of siding with former ANC youth league president Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters to destabilise the South African ruling party.
He alleged that the EFF had the influence of Zanu PF.
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“There have been active engagements between its leaders and with Zanu PF. Zanu PF is using them to destabilise the ANC in Limpopo,” the ANC secretary-general said. “Zanu PF destroyed the economy of their country. In 1980, the value of the Zimbabwe dollar was R1,50 and today it has no value. It is a massive destruction of the economy. I do not want South Africa’s economy to collapse.”
Zuma’s spokesperson, Mac Maharaj could not be reached for comment yesterday. Mantashe’s statements may represent a shift in policy for the ANC, which has historically protected Zanu PF.
Former president Thabo Mbeki typified the ANC’s protection of Zanu PF when, in 2008, at the height of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown, he said there was no crisis in Zimbabwe.
Even the ANCs opposition, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has spoken out against Zimbabwe-style land reform. The EFF’s commissar responsible for policy and research, Floyd Shivambu last month told the Mail & Guardian that, although his party holds Zimbabwe in high regard for “its courage in going ahead with land reform against international and imperialist pressure and intimidation”, the EFF would not use a similar strategy.
— Staff Reporter/Mail&Guardian
