Link to article: https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/1/19/sadc-cannot-continue-to-ignore-zanu-pfs-many-failings
In a January 8, 2022 speech at the ANC, African National Congress, 110th anniversary, Cyril Ramaphosa, ANC leader and president of South Africa stated the intentions and plan of addressing various problems around the continent. Specifically in the SADC, South African Development Community, region where they aim to “entrench democracy” in Sudan, Libya, and South Sudan along with remediating conflict in multiple African countries like Mozambique and lesotho and Sudan and Ethiopia. Despite this proclamation, the South African president, and the ANC as a whole, has failed to discuss and address the crisis in Zimbabwe. Despite Zimbabwe bordering South Africa and the conflict in Zimbabwe having direct effects on South African well-being and security, the president has failed to make serious attempts at remediations. Despite being removed from power in 2017, Robert Mugabe’s oppressive rule for 38 years left the country suffering from inflation, corruption, poverty, and violence. Democratic government in the country, even now, is unfeasible under the authoritarian government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and international intervention is necessary for reparation of the country. The crisis had forced hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans to move to South Africa over the years creating an anti-migrant and anti-Zimbabwean movement in the country.
The SADC’s assistance is crucial to helping Zimbabwe. Despite the allegations that Zimbabwe’s hardships are due to the sanctions imposed by Western nations, experts say that it is their own government that is prohibiting economic development and they are using foreign powers as a scapegoat for their internal failures. Across the board, SADC states have failed to support Zimbabwe, and it is evident that it is time for the nations to come together and help this struggling country. The South African president’s claim to help give “African solutions to African problems” needs to also be applied to their neighboring country Zimbabwe.
The international organization of the SADC is aimed to promote democracy, maintain order and secure the region. Led by South Africa, this community can effectively acknowledge that there is an internal issue in Zimbabwe, not all to the fault of foreign powers, and bring relief to not only Zimbabwean society and economy, but to South Africa. Remediation in Zimbabwe would stop the influx of Zimbabwean immigrants that South Africa has seen infiltrating their political elections and economic sectors. It should be in South Africa’s best interest to instill democratic values and economic development in Zimbabwe to secure their own borders and economy.