THE relationship between the ruling Zanu PF party and its sister liberation movement — African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa — is on a cliffhanger after the latter revealed yesterday that it had had enough of the Harare regime’s antics characterised by “threats and blackmail”.
“You can’t always have a neighbour that is always
blackmailing you,” ANC national chairman Gwede Mantashe (pictured) tweeted
following threats by Zanu PF director of information Tafadzwa Mugwadi to
‘expose’ ANC’s alleged sinister agenda which necessitated its two visits to
Harare last year.
“This relationship with Zimbabwe (Zanu PF) is always filled
with threats and blackmail. I don’t like that. If Zanu PF wants to spill the
beans on our meeting with them, they must. I am eager to hear what they want to
spill,” he charged.
He was referring to two meetings held in Harare by the two
parties last year to resolve Zimbabwe’s political and economic crises.
South Africa’s Finance minister Tito Mboweni weighed in, tweeting:
“I wish the President could just allow me nyana to tackle that turncoat
@TafadzwaMugwadi @Sophie_Mokoena @tyengeni1954 @pulemabe.”
He added: “In fact, ANC chairperson, @GwedeMantashe1 should
have said that the relationship isabusive! This must be stopped! It must end!”
Last August, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
dispatched three envoys to meet Zanu PF in an effort to resolve the country’s
political and economic crises amid fears that problems in Harare could
destabilise the southern African region.
However, Zanu PF insisted that the country was not in a
crisis.
Last week, Mugwadi singled out SABC correspondent Sophie
Mukoena accusing her of filing fake stories about President Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s administration. He courted a diplomatic tiff with the ANC leadership
when he threatened to “leak a bombshell on why the ANC delegation came (to
Harare)”.
This forced Ramaphosa to respond during an interview with
the SABC on Saturday, daring Mugwadi to come out in the open with his
“bombshell” and reveal the “real reason” which he claimed was behind his
party’s visit to Zimbabwe last year.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday chose to
downplay the fallout, saying: “There are no alarm bells at all, we continue as
we were. There is nothing alarming. We will continue to relate as we have
always done. We have cordial relations with our colleagues, there is no problem
at all. We don’t worry about anything; we have one common destiny which we want
to push for economic emancipation.”
On Sunday, Khaya Moyo said Zanu PF would take disciplinary
action against Mugwadi over his unsavoury remarks.
“A communiqué was issued on the constructive two-day
meeting by the two fraternal parties and indeed these meetings will continue in
the future. Nothing was amiss and necessary measures will be taken by Zanu PF
concerning those involved in this matter,” Khaya Moyo said.
“The President and first secretary of Zanu PF Cde ED
Mnangagwa, the President of the ANC Cde CM Ramaphosa called each other in high
esteem and no one should attempt to soil this fraternal relationship. We are
one people sharing a common liberation history, culture and destiny.”
Zanu PF Twitter moles also joined the debate, some calling
for the dismissal of Mugwadi from the party.
Mugwadi was once saved by top officials when the party
wanted him sacked for using crude language in an interview with Aljazeera.
Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment