Mbeki faces new pressure over Zimbabwe
Posted: Wednesday, August 21, 2002

Fred Bridgland In Johannesburg

PRESSURE is growing on South Africa’s president, Thabo Mbeki, to take a tough stand against his northern neighbour, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe.

A robust statement last weekend by Pacific Commonwealth leaders was followed yesterday by a demand from the official opposition in Pretoria, the Democratic Alliance (DA), that Mr Mbeki "end his chronic silence on the issue".

At the Commonwealth meeting, Australia’s premier, John Howard, said that he wanted "to throw the book" at Mr Mugabe.

Tony Leon, the DA leader, insisted that an emergency parliamentary debate be convened on the situation in Zimbabwe, where 176 white farmers have been arrested for defying orders to vacate their farms.

Mr Leon said that the arrests of two South Africans demanded a firm response. "It is time that President Mbeki ended his chronic silence on the reign of terror and cruel discrimination being practised by Robert Mugabe," Mr Leon said. MORE 

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