THE government of Zimbabwe has expressed sadness over comments by South Africa on Zimbabwe’s political and socio-economic crises.
The development was triggered by South Africa’s International Relations Minister, Naledi Pandor, who, during an interview with the Johannesburg-based Power FM radio station urged Zimbabwe’s political players to engage in dialogue.
Officials in the Zimbabwean government told Daily News that the local leadership, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa, were upset by Pandor’s comments. One official said:
We are not happy. Even the president (Mnangagwa) is not happy about what the minister said in her interview.
We are going to launch a formal complaint to the South African government through the country’s Foreign Affairs ministry.
This is because the minister is offending against the principle of subsidiarity … which means that even though South Africa is the current chair of the African Union (AU), it has no right to interfere on regional issues.
That is the function of regional structures. So, the minister is offending against the principle of subsidiarity.
Another official said areas of politics and security come under the direct responsibility of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation and since Zimbabwe is the current chair of the organ, it has the freedom to intervene in Mozambique and resolve conflicts in member states.
Naledi had said South Africa was not considering military intervention in Zimbabwe as a way to foster democracy and ensure economic growth.
More: Daily News
