A high-powered delegation of the African National Congress (ANC) led by the party’s secretary general, Ace Magashule, is expected to return to South Africa after holding meetings with Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu PF party, accused by some locals of gross human rights violations by locals and the international community.
Magashule told reporters in Harare on Wednesday that they would organize the return trip in conjunction with Zanu PF.
According to state media reports, Magashule, who is accompanied by Lindiwe Zulu, Gwede Mantashe, Tony Yengeni, Enock Gondongwana, Nosiviwe Ngqakula and several others, held some meetings with top ruling party officials and discussed various issues.
In a tweet, Zimbabwe’s Information Secretary, Nick Mangwana quoted Magashule saying, “We have also received some requests to meet other stakeholders like Transform Zimbabwe opposition party, and then Dr. Simba Makoni, Zimbabwe African People’s Union (Zapu), Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, and Movement for Democratic Change Alliance as well as United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe but we felt that together with Zanu PF that indeed there is no problem meeting with these structuresand therefore we are going to make arrangements towards coming back and meet with these organizations.”
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa recently sent special envoys to Zimbabwe – Baleka Mbete, Dr. Sydney Mufamadi and Ngoako Ramatlodi – who returned home after engaging only President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Prince Dubeko Sibanda of the MDC Alliance said it was not surprising that the ANC delegation only met with Zanu PF officials.
“This means that we are on our own as South Africa can’t help us in resolving our problems. The delegation should go back tell President Ramaphosa that they only held meetings with Zanu PF officials. We are not surprised about what they did.”
But Zanu PF’s Believe Gaule praised the ANC delegation for discussing various issues with only the ruling party.
“Some of the people who are wailing today are sellouts. They spend most of their time lying to the South Africans about the situation in Zimbabwe. This includes members of G40 (Generation 40) who failed dismally to have their own person in Zanu PF to be the president of Zimbabwe. They are running around with MDC factions in an effort to cause havoc in the country. So, the ANC delegation did well for not holding any meetings with these sellouts.”
Political activist, Nokuthula Adonsi, hit back, saying, “I strongly believe that sellouts are people like you (Gaule). You have completely destroyed Zimbabwe.”
Indications are that the ANC delegation discussed the political situation in the country, Zimbabweans flocking to South Africa and related issues.