(This is written as a sequel to an earlier analysis – MDC prevarications must stop)

I must of necessity point out a matter of great hypocrisy “the Facilitation” on the Zimbabwe Dialogue deflects in the hope of selling Zimbabweans and the whole wide world a dummy. In his infamous letter to Morgan Tsvangirai on page 9, Mbeki states:

“You know that among other things various countries of our region host large numbers of economic migrants from Zimbabwe, who impose particular burdens on our countries.”

“Fair and good”, I thought. The pressures that he describes on these countries’ socio-economic front are not imaginary. But the hypocrisy is evident a few paragraphs further when he writes,

“This particular burden is not carried by the countries of Western Europe and North America, which have benefited especially from the migration of skilled and professional Zimbabweans to the North.”

I winced, and thought, “Please Mr. Facilitation, give us a break!” Yes it is true Zimbabweans have exported their skills all over the world: North, East, West but any number-literate person will tell you that with the estimated four million Zimbabweans in South Africa, a very high proportion of them holding skilled, professional, senior and executive positions in private business, public enterprises and in government departments, South Africa has benefited the most from the Zimbabwean workforce.

South Africa only bears with the other not so productive ‘economic refugees’ for two reasons: firstly the majority migrate back and forth; and secondly a dragnet imposition of bottlenecks on the same would ultimately bite those organizations that desperately need the broader Zimbabwean skills. Those that moved South are indeed more than those that moved in any other direction.

The brain drain in South Africa to the ‘North’, i.e. Europe, America and Australasia is just as bad as that of Zimbabwe. For that reason, South Africa is relying heavily on skilled Zimbabweans from teachers to chief executive officers to keep their forts at home. If there was a sudden turnaround of fortunes for Zimbabwe and people saw hope clearly on the horizon, my considered conclusion is that South African schools, private businesses and other organizations would cry foul, as Zimbabwean and indeed South African professionals head across the Limpopo.

As president of South Africa, Mbeki was confronted with the dire skills shortage in his country. I remember one time on an official visit to London he was chiding the British Prime Minister for their pursuit of South African skills. I thought what hypocrisy, at home he is doing the same on Zimbabwe!

Mbeki is not unaware of this scenario that a totally conducive environment in Zimbabwe is not in South Africa’s best economic interests. Zimbabwe had indeed always been an alternative destination for investment in Africa given its average to good infrastructure, abundant natural resources and the relatively crime-free environment. Mbeki’s strategy for Zimbabwe is that he wants peace to prevail but not a conducive business and political environment as it would rival South Africa for opportunities and reclaim skills they cannot afford to let go.

South Africa’s more pressing concern in this whole charade is therefore the protection of their economic interests, not necessarily democracy in a neighbouring state. Peace and stability in the region just happens to be one precondition for economic progress, but that can happen without democracy. Africa’s wisdom of pressuring the ‘opposition’ into an Inclusive Government to keep the losing ‘ruling party’ in the corridors of power is good testimony to this.

Mbeki’s own brother once likened Mugabe to the school naughty guy who routinely insults everyone including teachers and the headmaster to the cheers of all around. They whistle and clap when this rabble-rouser does his antics, but when discipline time comes, the naughty guy gets all the stripes while the others stand dispassionately by. The ANC made and respect a secret agreement with white business never to disrupt the economic status quo in exchange for political power, yet Mbeki spurs Mugabe on in his ‘anti-western’, ‘Zimbabwe-never-be-a-colony again’ and ‘sovereignty’ crusades.

I was telling a friend that Mbeki is like a man who hears his neighbor beating the daylights out of his wife (or vice-versa!). This is happening at 02:00am everyday and disturbs this man’s sleep such that he cannot concentrate at work. He decides to arbitrate in their dispute. While the abused spouse tries to explain the root cause of the dispute, the self appointed mediator is not interested in the details, but just persuades the parties to agree to and sign a peace order that they should not fight, especially at night.

He extracts an undertaking that any fighting, when it happens, must happen during the day when he is at work. He further desires that should one be killed, the funeral should be as quiet an affair as possible. This man is obviously more interested in his own welfare and cares very little about the couple next door. When challenged by onlookers, he snorts defiantly that lasting solutions to squabbling spouses can only be brought about by the spouses themselves. True maybe, but what the heck are you doing “next door”, then? “The Facilitation” indeed, what cheek!