Such denial makes SA Mugabe’s accomplice

IT’S hard to imagine anything more graphically persuasive of the anarchic state of Zimbabwe than yesterday’s awful picture of the bloodied body of a murdered white farmer covered by a sheet, with a small dog nestled beside the corpse of its dead master.

This latest atrocity depicted on the front page of yesterday’s Herald will undoubtedly circulate throughout the world – the nightmare of politically unstable Africa revisited yet again. The unfortunate significance of a juxtaposed picture of president Thabo Mbeki and his Zimbabwean counterpart Robert Mugabe, their arms outstretched in eager embrace, could hardly be missed.

Mbeki continues to project himself as a loyal chum of the Zimbabwe despot, unswerved by the deaths of farmers and political opponents. Instead of warmly embracing the man the world – including former president Nelson Mandela – recognises as a pariah, Mbeki should have at least appeared reserved and impartial, especially since he is a member of the troika tasked with formulating an objective Commonwealth’s position on Zimbabwe.

SA will increasingly be tainted by the unfortunate relationship and by our obdurate failure to recognise the blatant manipulation and intimidation that accompanied the recent election. We will be linked to this shame as Mugabe continues his vengeful reign of terror with the zeal of a man possessed.

The ANC and Mbeki say that the crisis in Zimbabwe has to be resolved by Zimbabweans themselves.

These supposedly intelligent people fail to see that reasonable, law-abiding Zimbabweans have just been denied that opportunity by fear mongering tactics, bloodshed, and a rigged election. How can Mugabe be part of any solution when he is the heart of the problem? By such thinking we are his accomplices. And it all feeds the alarming perception that too many of our leaders are not uncomfortable with events across the border.

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Grey springboard to further excellence

PORT Elizabeth’s Grey High School has a proud tradition – and it has turned out some fine men who have gone out into the world and made outstanding successes of their careers.

Among such men is New York investment banker Vincent Mai who returned this week – as he has done before – to help his school improve the position of less fortunate citizens of the Eastern Cape.

Mai is a board member of the multimillion dollar Carnegie Corporation Foundation and his visit two years ago with its president, Vartan Gregorian, brought handsome dividends – including a R7,7-million grant to help previously disadvantaged schools in the province.

This time Mai, again accompanied by another old boy benefactor, Freeplay Energy Group chief Rory Stear, came to boost Grey’s outreach programme – aiming to get more township pupils into the school and to extend its night class programme.

It’s a plan which can give the school an increasingly important role in the future, ensuring that its pupils and those helped by the programme will be well equipped to achieve not only in South Africa but in the wider world. Let’s hope that they will remember Mai’s example and one day return to help the school uplift the wider community.