Elizabeth Sidiropoulos and Neuma Grobbelaar : Zimbabwe’s Plight, South Africa’s Responsibility

by Elizabeth Sidiropoulos and Neuma Grobbelaar JOHANNESBURG – Morgan Tsvangirai’s withdrawal from the presidential run-off scheduled for June 27, and his decision to seek the protection of the Dutch embassy in Pretoria, has secured for Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe a Pyrrhic victory. Mugabe’s triumph comes at a huge cost to democracy and stability in Zimbabwe, as well as in the region. The actions of the Mugabe regime in the run-up to Tsvangirai’s decision demand a strong regional response to what is clearly a stolen victory. Indeed, Mugabe’s continuing in power represents the most serious challenge to Africa’s nascent democratic institutions and to South Africa’s vision of a continent of peace and prosperity. After contesting every election since 2000, Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has changed... [read full story]