Agb Voorsitter, 'n belangrike deel van president Mbeki se bydrae tot op datum in Afrika was die inisiatiewe wat hy geneem het om die negatiewe en stereotiepe beeld van korrupte en swak demokrasie in Afrika in die o van die wreld af te breek. Hy het dit gedoen deur die stigting van die Afrika-unie, deur Nepad en met die instel van instrumente soos die Afrika-portuuroorsigmeganisme.
Al hierdie goeie werk word op die oomblik deur pres Mugabe tot niet gemaak. Pres Mugabe se uitlatings en wat tans in Zimbabwe gebeur, is 'n verleentheid vir Afrika en vir Suid-Afrika, en dit behoort ook 'n verleentheid te wees vir president Mbeki. Pres Mugabe se optredes asook die magsmisbruik van sy polisiemag teenoor die opposisie in Zimbabwe versterk en bevestig al die stereotipes wat oor Afrika en demokrasie in Afrika in die o van die wreld bestaan.
Waar die Oscar-bekroonde rolprent oor Idi Amin, The Last King of Scotland, nou weer die aandag op Afrika en demokrasie en diktatorskap vestig, kom mnr Mugabe en sy boelie-agtige polisie en bevestig dat niks in Afrika nog verander het nie.
Suid-Afrika kan nie bekostig dat president Mbeki in hierdie tye in die Midde-Ooste betrokke is by oplossings van die Israel-Palestynse krisis, maar nie 'n woord s oor Zimbabwe en pres Mugabe se vergrype nie. Hierdie Zimbabwe-vergrype het niks met grond of met die koloniale tydperk te doen nie, maar gaan oor demokrasie en die regte van opposisiepartye om normale politiek in Afrika te kan bedryf. President Mbeki moet sy siening hieroor nou openbaar maak. Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans member's statement follows.)
[Dr P W A MULDER: Hon Chairperson, to date an important part of President Mbeki's contribution in Africa has been the initiatives that he took to break down the negative and stereotypical image of corrupt and poor democracy in Africa in the eyes of the world. He did this by establishing the African Union, through Nepad, and by establishing instruments such as the African Peer Review Mechanism. All this good work is being destroyed at the moment by President Mugabe. President Mugabe's utterances and what is currently happening in Zimbabwe is an embarrassment for Africa and for South Africa, and it should also be an embarrassment for President Mbeki. President Mugabe's actions, as well as the abuse of power by his police force against the opposition in Zimbabwe, reinforce and confirm all the stereotypes that exist about Africa and democracy in Africa in the eyes of the world.
Now that the Oscar-awarded film about Idi Amin, The Last King of Scotland, is once again focusing attention on Africa and democracy and dictatorship, Mr Mugabe and his bully-like police are now confirming that nothing has changed in Africa yet.
During times such as these, South Africa cannot afford to have President Mbeki involved with solutions to the Israel-Palestine crisis in the Middle East, while he does not utter a word about Zimbabwe and President Mugabe's transgressions. These transgressions in Zimbabwe have nothing to do with land or the colonial era, but deals with democracy and the rights of opposition parties to practice normal politics in Africa. President Mbeki must now publicly state his view on this. Thank you.]