Why the Zimbabwe disaster matters to South Africa

There may be those who, reading our story today about Zimbabwe sliding further into collapse and poverty – while the Zanu-PF government still wields the stick of oppression – might say: why should we care?

And, certainly, today’s reporting is difficult to distinguish from that of the last 20 years about our northern neighbour, other than that the disaster appears to be getting worse.

That means that we can expect even more illegals to flood across our border, seeking not merely that cliched better life, but survival as their country retreats to a pre-industrial era.

For that reason alone, we should care. Likewise, this also concerns us because our government has allowed this tragedy to happen on our doorstep without doing anything to stop it.

ALSO READ: Meet the ageing war veteran standing up to Zimbabwe’s president

From the time Thabo Mbeki’s government looked the other way when then president Robert Mugabe stole elections in the 2000s, our ANC leaders have been reluctant to air even the mildest criticism about the regime in Harare.

The reason is clear: any criticism of African leaders plays into the hands of the colonialists… and we will never be colonised again.

That is utter rubbish. Unless Africans can call out other Africans for despotic behaviour, this continent has no future.