The astonishing silence of Thabo Mbeki

[Zvakanaka]

The astonishing silence of Thabo Mbeki

The Times, SA

15 May 2008, 16:41 GMT + 2
THE astonishing failure of President Thabo Mbeki to provide active
public leadership on the xenophobic violence which has plagued our
country over the last five days is not acceptable.
Yesterday cabinet issued a statement to the effect that a “task team”
would look into the problem.
This is a weak response to a fundamental assault on the values that our
country holds dear.
South Africa does not need some lowly spokesman issuing a statement
about a task team as people live in fear of rape, assault and death
because of their nationality.
It needs bold, public and decisive leadership by the person charged with
running the country.
Mbeki should be on national television, calling for calm.
He should be mobilising the armed forces and sending them into the
violence-blighted areas to make a very loud statement that this country
will not tolerate discrimination.
It is poignant that it has been left to Jacob Zuma, president of the
ANC, to make a bold public statement against the attacks.
“Alexandra today, tomorrow it may be another place… foreigners have to
be treated properly,” he said.
Zuma holds no power and does not have the state’s resources at his
disposal, but at least he has offered some sort of public leadership on
this frightening development.
Zuma’s statement and Mbeki’s silence is once more playing into the hands
of those who would like to see a change in government sooner rather than
later.
Zuma’s motives for wanting such an early ascension to office are obvious:
The corruption case against him would surely collapse were he to occupy
the highest office in the land.
Mbeki should know that, in politics, absence does not make the heart
grow fonder. It opens space for competitors, even those with suspect
credentials such as Zuma, to occupy.

[Peter H.M. Brooks]

On May 16, 6:07 am, Zvakanaka <lalapa...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> The astonishing silence of Thabo Mbeki
>
> The Times, SA
>
> 15 May 2008, 16:41 GMT + 2
> THE astonishing failure of President Thabo Mbeki to provide active
> public leadership on the xenophobic violence which has plagued our
> country over the last five days is not acceptable.
>

Come off it! There's no surprise there. Mbeki is responsible for
creating the conditions that led to it by supporting our tyrant next
door. If he said anything against the xenophibia (why can't they call
it racism, for that is what it is?) he'd be shooting himself in the
foot.

[Zvakanaka]

I am 100% in agreement with what you have said.

[Herbert Viola]

In article
<aa024947-ba95-49c0...@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com>,

"Peter H.M. Brooks" <Peter.H....@gmail.com> wrote:

> Come off it! There's no surprise there. Mbeki is responsible for
> creating the conditions that led to it by supporting our tyrant next
> door. If he said anything against the xenophibia (why can't they call
> it racism, for that is what it is?) he'd be shooting himself in the
> foot.

The real problem is Zenophobia, fear of Greek philosophers.

Mbeki and the other black leaders don't want to deal with the question
of whether there might be something to Western Civilization after all.

[Peter H.M. Brooks]

On May 23, 10:51 am, Herbert Viola <wga...@microsoft.com> wrote:
> In article
> <aa024947-ba95-49c0-8311-b47d07bad...@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com>,

>  "Peter H.M. Brooks" <Peter.H.M.Bro...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Come off it! There's no surprise there. Mbeki is responsible for
> > creating the conditions that led to it by supporting our tyrant next
> > door. If he said anything against the xenophibia (why can't they call
> > it racism, for that is what it is?) he'd be shooting himself in the
> > foot.
>
> The real problem is Zenophobia, fear of Greek philosophers.
>

That's a nice one! At first glance I'd have thought that xenophobia
was a fear of frogs, more specifically platannas.