ANC backing Zanu-PF, claims DA

2004-10-29 17:44

Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance on Friday said the African National Congress wanted to maintain close ties with Zimbabwe's ruling party, Zanu-PF, not with the Congress of SA Trade Unions, the ANC's alliance partner.

DA chief whip Douglas Gibson said the ANC had "a well-documented history of close fraternal ties with Zanu-PF".

"It is abundantly clear from the government's weak reaction to the shocking treatment of Cosatu by the Zimbabwean government that it is intent on maintaining these close relations with Zanu-PF at any cost," he said.

Gibson, who is also the DA's deputy spokesman on Africa, said the government's inability to defend the rights of Cosatu members "suggests that it is even less likely to support the rights of the MDC", Zimbabwe's opposition party.

A 13-member Cosatu delegation on a fact-finding mission was thrown out of Zimbabwe earlier this week.

Mbeki wanted explanation

Foreign sffairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa drew criticism from Bheki Ntshalintshali, Cosatu's deputy general-secretary, for saying the Zimbabwean government had a right to apply its immigration legislation as it deemed fit.

During the ANC's weekly caucus on Thursday, President Thabo Mbeki apparently demanded that Cosatu explain its visit to Zimbabwe.

Gibson said Mbeki's demand "raises the question of whether the ANC's solidarity with Zanu-PF is stronger than its ties with its own alliance partner".

"The president is apparently more concerned with protecting his cosy relations with Zanu-PF than he is with standing up for fundamental democratic principles.

"This is nothing new; he has been making excuses for the Mugabe regime's anti-democratic behaviour for some time now," said Gibson.

- SAPA