One could expect that she would jeopardise our political transition – given that, during her tenure as foreign affairs minister under former president Thabo Mbeki, she pursued the now discredited policy of quiet diplomacy (a euphemism for offering friendship to Zanu (PF) while turning a blind eye to the festering crisis).
Back in 2002 relations between her and the MDC were so strained that Morgan Tsvangirai wrote a letter of complaint to Mbeki complaining that she was ignoring his party.
But, over time, there has been a significant shift in South Africa and SADC’s policy towards Zimbabwe, which in turn may influence Dlamini-Zuma’s attitude. At the SADC summit in Angola last month, regional leaders prevented President Mugabe from fast-tracking the country to sham elections and re-iterated their position that no elections can be held in the absence of critical reforms including a new constitution. At this same summit they re-affirmed their support for Dlamini-Zuma as the SADC candidate for the AU post. It is therefore unlikely that she would go against their position on Zimbabwe.
In the past the AU has quietly deferred to SADC on the Zimbabwe issue. The election of Dlamini-Zuma may lead to a significant change as we expect greater collaboration and synergy between the regional and continental bodies.
It may very well be that some in the Zanu (PF) camp may have sensed the re-alignment of forces and perhaps may have secretly campaigned against Dr. Dlamini-Zuma’s nomination for the AU Commission chairperson’s post. When I informed a colleague last week that Mugabe had travelled to Ethiopia for the AU summit he jokingly asked, “To vote for Ping?” referring to the former chair who lost to Dlamini-Zuma. – Dewa Mavhinga: Coordinator@crisiszimbabwe.org
Post published in: News