South Africa must learn from Zimbabwe’s failures

On Wednesday the 22nd of November President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was removed of his duties as President of Zimbabwe by the Military after a coup-esque takeover of the capital city of Harare. Mugabe, 93, has been the most prominent figure in Zimbabwean politics since it gained independence from Britain in 1980.

After spending 7 years as prime minister representing the Zanu party in 1987, Zimbabwe's parliament amended the constitution, on 30 December, it declared Mugabe to be executive President, a new position that combined the roles of head of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He has been president up to this date ever since then. He has become one of the most infamous ‘dictators’ in the world after the alleged massacre of up to 80,000 political opposition and civilians in what was known as the Gukurahundi (a Shona reference to cleansing) as well as a history of violence and rigged elections.

Many looked to Zimbabwe as the model post-colonial nation with very fertile land and a successful farming industry. Mugabe changed this all in the 1997 after his government decided that they’d had enough with the 0.6% white farmer population owning 70% of farms. Following the fast track land removal act in 2000 he forcefully and often violently removed almost all the white farmers, his forces murdering many as well. Neglected from this redistribution programme were the millions of previous black farm workers as all the best farms went to Mugabe’s cronies. Many of those who received the redistributed land had no previous knowledge of farm work and thus growth in Zimbabwe’s tobacco exports slumped to an all-time low of 105 million pounds in 2008. As a result of this Millions have flocked to neighbouring countries seeking better lives and to escape Mugabe’s oppressive regime.

Across the border there is a growing fear within South Africa that the ANC and it’s President Jacob Zuma are attempting to take it in the same direction as Mugabe took Zimbabwe. In March Zuma proposed to the South African parliament an amendment to the constitution that would allow the exportation of white land without any compensation being provided. This followed increased pressure from the radical Economic Freedom Fighters party which is led by Julius Malema who travels the country telling blacks to take back white land branding white farmers as ‘Dutch thugs’. This has led to South Africa’s racial climate reaching levels never seen since apartheid. Farming has become the most dangerous job in South Arica with predominantly white farmers being murdered at a rate of 156.5 per 100,000 according to civil rights group Afriforum. The average murder rate in South Africa was 34 per 100,000 in 2009. The tension has boiled over several times such as in May when riots broke out in the maize producing town of Coligny. This came after two white farmers Pieter Doorewaard, 26 and Phillip Schutte, 34, were granted bail after being accused of murdering 16 year old Mathlomola Mosweu after catching him stealing from their farm. Just half an hour after the verdict nearby farms were being burnt down by petrol bombs and the occupants attacked violently. The words of self centred politicians are instigating hatred and dividing communities, is it time for a change?

The next elections are in 2019 and President Zuma is coming under serious scrutiny with a 7th motion against his government having been filed in August. However, for the first time since Nelson Mandela and the ANC came into power in 1994 there is a challenger who if they play their cards right could win the election. The DA for the first time since they were founded in 2000 have a decent chance of competing with the ANC. Often viewed as the ‘white mans’ party the DA has seen success as they have changed their party to incorporate more black values and black politicians within it such as their current leader Mmusi Maimane.

With the elections not far away, it is time for South Africans whether white or black to voice what their interests are and the policy’s they want. I would hope that they consider and look at Mugabe’s Zimbabwe and reject what they see in favour of a more progressive and brighter future unified together.

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