FULL TEXT: Govt Responds To DA Leader Mmusi Maimane's Call For ICC, UN Intervention, Denounces His 'Questionable Supremacist Politics'

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE UTTERANCES BY SOUTH AFRICA’S DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE LEADER, MMUSI MAIMANE

The government has taken note of the rather unfortunate and ill-informed position taken by South Africa’s Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, Mmusi Maimane, on the violent disturbances that were orchestrated by the MDC Alliance, in concert with civil society organisations in the country.

It is regrettable that Mr Maimane has assumed an aggressive posture for the galley, when the Government of Zimbabwe has an open door policy to citizens, and the international community alike under the auspices of the mantra, “Zimbabwe is Open for Business and Dialogue.”

It is disappointing that Mr Maimane under the auspices of the DA and a coalition of opposition parties in Southern Africa, the Southern African Partnership for Democratic Change (SAPDC), has escalated his aggressive posturing to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations Human Rights Council. Assuming that he has legitimate issues (of which he has none), one would have expected him to defer to the SADC or the AU.

Zimbabwe has strong democratic institutions that were brought about by the new Constitution in 2013 that are capable of dealing with any issues. The Government of Zimbabwe is committed to providing safety and protection to all its citizens for them to fully enjoy the full spectrum of the rights enshrined in our extended bill of rights. However, lawlessness which infringes the rights of other citizens such as looting, wanton violence, arson and attacks on law enforcement agencies will be dealt with to the full extent of the law.

It is thus unfortunate that the domestic issues of Zimbabwe have been appropriated by a South African opposition party, which has regrettably taken a position without engaging the Zimbabwean authorities. The Zimbabwe Government will engage with anyone, including those who believe in questionable supremacist politics, that Zimbabwe fought against during the liberation struggle, and equally so, South Africans fought against Apartheid.

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Honourable Monica Mutsvangwa

Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services