Mbeki's support of Mugabe slammed

MBEKI'S SUPPORT OF MUGABE SLAMMED

The Democratic Alliance has charged President Thabo Mbeki with
betraying Zimbabweans and making South Africa the laughing stock of
the world by publicly stating that there is no crisis in Zimbabwe.

Party leader Helen Zille said on Sunday that history would judge Mbeki harshly.

"Mbeki has shown himself to be a lame duck president at home. He has
now lost the opportunity to show that he can be an effective leader in
the region."

Mbeki's tacit support for 'the dictator on our doorstep' was not only
an embarrassment, but caused millions of Southern African inhabitants
and the international community to lose faith in the subcontinent's
ability to establish sustainable democracy.

As British Premier Gordon Brown, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and ANC
president Jacob Zuma demanded the immediate release of the election
results, Mbeki was of the view that the election must run its course,
Zille said.

"In all legitimate elections, releasing the results immediately as
they become available is part of the election running its course.
Mbeki should therefore have stood by his own logic and should have
called for the immediate release of the election results."

"Any notion of a recount or run-off election prior to the release of
the results is illogical and can be intended to subvert the legitimate
outcome."

"History will judge Mbeki harshly," she said.

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