PRETORIA. The South African government has refused to agree to sanctions against Zimbabwe, and has instead urged the UN to send Robert Mugabe a Hallmark greeting card featuring a tearful clown. Meanwhile Thabo Mbeki, asked how the ANC would have reacted had Zimbabwe opposed sanctions against apartheid South Africa, said, "That's totally different".
Mbeki said it was vital that no rash decisions were taken that might "upset, anger or in any way inconvenience" Mugabe, adding that a wait-and-see approach could still bare fruit.
"I am asking the G8 members and the international community to give us more time," he told reporters this morning.
"Perhaps another 20 or 30 years, by which time Comrade Mugabe will be nearing his 110th birthday, and might be slowing down."
The South African government has been staunchly opposed to sanctions against Mugabe's regime, despite being itself put in power thanks largely to sustained sanctions against the apartheid regime.
But Mbeki dismissed comparisons, saying that South Africa's case was unique.
"The struggle against apartheid took place because it is totally unacceptable to have white governments oppressing black nations."
Asked if it was also totally unacceptable to have black governments oppressing black nations, Mbeki said he was unaware of any such examples in the continent.
"In Darfur, that's Arabs," he said. "In Rwanda, that was a tragic failure by Dutch and French peacekeepers.
"Liberia was once an American colony, and I don't need to tell you what Americans are like.
"Likewise, if you point to the DRC, you're looking at Belgians. Ethiopia and Eritrea, that's Arabs again, well, not really Arabs, but sort of interesting-looking quasi-Egyptian people. Let's call them Arabs to keep things clear.
"And Idi Amin was the last king of Scotland. I rest my case."
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