Mbeki and ANC accused of “Zanufication” of South Africa

By Tererai Karimakwenda
12 January 2007

The ruling party and president of South Africa have been accused of behaving like ZANU-PF and Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe after they celebrated their political party at a formal government occasion paid for by the taxpayers. The opposition Democratic Alliance spokesman for defense Roy Jankielsohn said president Thabo Mbeki attended a memorial service Wednesday for the late High Commissioner to Namibia, Timothy Maseko, in a church hall full of ANC decorations and banners. The service was covered by SABC Television which showed uniformed members of the South Africa National Defense Forces singing on a stage adorned with ANC banners.

Jankielsohn said the DA was concerned because this was the sort of behavior displayed by ZANU-PF in Zimbabwe where the ruling party does not distinguish between the role and purpose of the government and that of the political party. He said the lines become blurred when state resources are used for political purposes. Explaining further Jankielsohn said: “The taxpayers & citizens of this country might become conditioned and not even notice when these incidents take place and we will make sure that this doesn’t happen and the ZANU-fication of South Africa doesn’t continue.”

Asked whether this similarity in behavior might be the reason why Mbeki has maintained his widely criticized policy of “silent diplomacy” regarding human rights violations by ZANU-PF and Mugabe, Jankielsohn said the silence was in fact consent to what was going on in Zimbabwe. He added: “And we are very concerned about other aspects going on in South Africa such as statements made by for example the minister of agriculture relating to farmers and specifically white farmers in South Africa.”

ZANU-PF initiated a chaotic land reform programme in 2000 which has been blamed for destroying Zimbabwe’s economy and creating food shortages after commercial white farmers were evicted violently. Jankielsohn said the DA wanted to make sure South Africa did not go the same route.

A statement released by the DA said in part:
“Once again, the ANC government has managed to blur the line between party and state – using a formal government occasion to promote and celebrate the ANC. In doing so the ruling party is simply emulating the example of political parties such as ZANU PF which have long lost the ability to distinguish any difference between party political objectives and the role and purpose of the government.”