South African Opposition Piles Pressure on Pretoria over Zimbabwe Elections
The leader of South Africa’s main opposition party has called on the government to cut ties with Harare, dismissing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s congratulatory message to Emmerson Mnangagwa following Zimbabwe’s disputed election.
Mmusi Maimane and his Build One South Africa (BOSA) party criticized the August polls as lacking in credibility and free and fair conditions. They have joined election observers in lambasting the process and results.
In a strongly-worded statement, BOSA spokesperson Sbu Zondi urged South Africa to denounce the Zimbabwean elections as a “sham” and immediately halt all diplomatic engagement. He said SADC nations must take a tougher stance on irregular polls.
Zondi argued the region cannot proceed as normal given the “democratic crisis” in Zimbabwe. He called for an emergency SADC summit to address the situation.
Citizen Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa has rejected the outcome, though Harare has hit out angrily at criticism. Zanu-PF affiliate group Forever Associates Zimbabwe stands accused of voter intimidation by BOSA.
As election monitors issued damning assessments and Chamisa refuses to budge, the pressure is mounting on South Africa to recalibrate its approach.
