Zimbabwe now has a well-deserved reputation as a lawless state and our leaders are treated with the exasperated contempt reserved for bombastic no-hopers. The Vigil was delighted by the Swiss refusal to grant visas to Grace and others in the bloated shopping expedition to Geneva masquerading as attendance at the UN telecommunications summit – a delegation of more than 60 to a meeting at which no other country would send more than a couple of technocrats.
The depth of corruption in Zimbabwe is reflected in a parliamentary motion submitted by Eddie Cross MP calling for the nationalization of the Marange diamond deposits, which he says are the biggest diamond find in the past century. Mr Cross accuses the Mines Minister of understating the diamond yield by billions of dollars. He says the money is going to ‘unknown political and military figures in Zimbabwe’ when it could transform the state coffers.
The Vigil believes these ‘unknown political and military figures’ are determined to undermine any move towards democracy and accountability so that they can hold on to their loot. Their use of criminal gangs of deluded, drugged and drunken youths such as Chipangano to wreak havoc on request leaves no room for doubt.
The Vigil holds South Africa responsible for this situation – as indeed does Morgan Tsvangirai in his recently-published book. The Vigil appeals to President Zuma to take action against these gangsters. Otherwise he will face the consequences – not least the contamination evidenced by the lunatic demonstration by ANC Youth leader Malema and his supporters outside the Johannesburg Stock Exchange demanding the takeover of white-owned farms – all the while singing the banned racist song ‘Shoot the Boer’. We note from photographs that they were wearing pro-Gaddafi t-shirts!
But the Vigil is encouraged by the attitude of the South African Ambassador to Zimbabwe Vusi Mavimbela who has complained that Mugabe’s treatment of South African farmers in Zimbabwe violates the bilateral investment agreement.
FOR THE RECORD: 72 signed the register.
Post published in: World News