Julius Malema, an opposition politician from South Africa, has encouraged Zimbabwean youths ahead of the SADC summit, to take a stand against what they see as oppressive rule in their country, emphasizing that they cannot achieve their political goals without challenging the current system.
Malema’s comments were made in the midst of a crackdown by the ZANU PF-led government on individuals advocating for human rights and democracy, just before the upcoming SADC Summit set to take place in Harare on August 17th.
Also Read: SADC To Hold 44th Summit Of Heads Of State And Government In Harare On 17 August
Numerous members of the opposition, leaders of civil society, and trade union activists have been arrested on what some observers consider to be fabricated charges.
During a lecture at Rhodes University on Monday, the leader of the EFF also urged the South African government, SADC, and the African Union to apply pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to implement reforms and uphold the rights of the people of Zimbabwe. Malema stated:
The Zimbabwean youths must rise because that nonsense will never come to an end as long as there is no unity of purpose against the tyranny, against the suppression of the political wishes of Zimbabweans.
So, ourselves (South Africa), at the Pan African Parliament, the AU, and SADC, we have to have a political will to speak for the people of Zimbabwe.
When it comes from us, it will have more weight than when it comes from Europe. Why? Because we are brothers and sisters. They will know it’s friendly fire.
But SADC, AU, and South Africa are failing Zimbabwe… And when you ask what is the resolution, no one has taken any resolution.
So you need a clear position from SADC which gives the timelines, that by this time, this should have happened, otherwise Mnangagwa is going to come back and he has nothing to offer at all.
There has been a lot of speculation and discussion about Mnangagwa potentially seeking a third term in office.
Recently, Mnangagwa publicly stated that he does not intend to run for a third term and plans to retire after completing his current term.
However, some political analysts and commentators are sceptical about the sincerity of this pledge.
Malema’s call for Zimbabwean youths to rise against “tyranny” comes after Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane called on South Africa to cut diplomatic ties with the ZANU PF-led government, stating that failure to do so would be akin to enabling “an evil regime that kills and destroys”.
Last week, South Africa’s second-largest political party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), urged SADC to move the 44th SADC Summit from Zimbabwe to another country due to the ongoing arrests targetting activists.
