Sanctions against Zanu PF "won't work" - Mantashe

DURBAN (Sapa) - An invasion of Zimbabwe or tougher sanctions to dislodge president Robert Mugabe are not on the cards, African National Congress secretary general Gwede Mantashe said in Durban on Thursday.

"I don't think invading Zimbabwe or sanctions would work," he told journalists and editors at a breakfast in Durban.

He did not believe that the ANC "will subscribe" to an invasion and preferred to deal with Zimbabwe "on a government-to-government level and on a party-to-party level".

"What will we do to make Mugabe retire? We will persuade him."

He said the higher structures of the ANC had discussed Mugabe's reasons for wanting to stay in power.

The arrest of former Liberian president Charles Taylor was affecting any decision Mugabe may make to retire.

Taylor, who was Liberia's president from 1997 to 2003, was forced into exile in Nigeria before being extradited. He was currently being detained at the International Criminal Court detention facility in The Hague and was on trial before the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

"The Hague has taken a number of African people. Mugabe can't be given any guarantees for his safety in retirement," said Mantashe, who claimed Mugabe's fears were real.

He said the party's national executive committee had discussed the fears that Mugabe might be facing if he were to relinquish power. He said no Western leader had been detained or had stood trial in The Hague.

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quiet diplomacy Let's just continue with quiet diplomacy. That seems to be working real well. dimwit by Cynic Al on December 12 2008, 04:24 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

The amazing anc the arrogant anc is going to travel to Zim(first class at least), walk into unca Bob's office and tell him to go? right?! It's been done before, walked into pres Thabo's office and told him to go, or rather voerts.k. Wrong, unca Bob ain't no anc . .more member, and he feels feathers for the anc or the Zim people, or any person for that matter and this coming from a bunch of clowns who couldn't even organize their election campagins in the Western Cape. The arrogance of the ANC is amazing - "we will pursuade him". The world is watching and waiting for this pursuasion . .less by Watching on December 12 2008, 06:47 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Shut up idiot, you are as useless as Mugabe . by Koos on December 12 2008, 07:28 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Interesting points to ponder 1. This is a clear admission that Mugabe SHOULD retire, but they just don't know how to get him to do it; 2. Is it not hypocritical to advocate sanctions in the past against SA, but not against Zim? 3. Why should Mugabe's safety in . .more retirement be guaranteed. If he has done nothing wrong then he has nothing to fear. If he has done something wrong then he should face the consequences. No prejudgement necessary....... . .less by Truth fairy on December 12 2008, 07:52 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Credibility Gwede couldn't possibly have kept a straight face when he handed this horse-sh!t to the media. by Richard on December 12 2008, 08:11 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

GWEDE IS DREAMING Gwede I think you're dreaming broe no one can persuade that MUGABE bustard, what should happen is someone needs to invade that dying country and capture that useless president. by Sgebengu on December 12 2008, 08:15 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Dear Mr Overbite Mantashe: mugabe should be in prison with his comrades, including some of your own. You are complicit in the genocide in Zimbabwe. Or is guaranteeing his safety also guaranteeing yours? by Dave on December 12 2008, 08:18 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Nonsense If that is the case Mantashe who suppose to be dying, many people in protection of only one rotten old man? I think you should have kept quiet because you aren't different from Zuma who everytime he opens his mouth a garbage just comes out. If . .more he is not wrong he shouldn't be afraid but if he is wrong why not face the judgement? Now you mean that no matter how many people can die as long as Mugarbage will be safe it's fine with you? That's is total nonsense and I pray that God is considering including you in the wrath that is coming up for Mugarbage.Go to hell! . .less by Simm on Dec 12 2008, 09:15am on December 12 2008, 09:17 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

He`s right about SA not invading.. the Zim army would probably beat the S*** out of the aids-ridden Sandf. by jake on December 12 2008, 09:35 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Mantashe - Africans shouldn't face the music for their slaughtering ways As usual, African dictators get off the hook after butchering countless thousands because of apologists like Mantashe, Zuma, Mbeki and the ANC. by Dave on December 12 2008, 10:05 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

What's new? 9 July 2003 United States President George W. Bush expressed confidence on Wednesday in South Africa's efforts to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe. The government of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change . .more were engaged in discussions. Robert Mugabe will relinquish his leadership of Zimbabwe's ruling party by December, paving the way for his exit as President and new elections by June 2004, the South African President Thabo Mbeki has told George Bush. . .less by Martin on December 12 2008, 10:21 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Why should they ? The ANC or any other African regime will not take any measures to force Mugabe to step down, nor will they take a hard line against him. Why should they, he is living the "dream" in their eyes... by Mike on December 12 2008, 11:01 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Bollocks - "No Western leader had been detained or had stood trial in The Hague" Mantashe is lying to everyone saying African butchers shouldn't be persecuted becasue European ones are not, absolute rubbish. Milosevic stood trial in the Hague and so should Mugabe. Milosevic in The Hague: Summary: Yugoslavia's . .more former tyrant now sits in the dock facing charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. Serving as his own counsel, Slobodan Milosevic rages against NATO conspiracies and victor's justice. But these courtroom antics cannot detract from the trial's great achievements: revealing the truth about Milosevic's role in the Balkan wars and removing him from Serbian politics once and for all. http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20030501faessay11221/gary-j-bass/milosevic-in-the-hague.html . .less by Dave on December 12 2008, 12:11 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

What a contradiction It's inexcusable that the current state of affairs in Zim continutes at the expense of everyone of us. The reason: only because we are protecting a dictator who has been responsible for so much destruction, physically, spiritually, emotionally & . .more otherwise. With due respect let's not begin to debate the sanctions issue, that strategy worked when the Thathers & Reagans were against it and there is no reason why it should not work in ZIm. Please provide us with genuine leadership or else this region will soon be engulfed in never ending conflicts just as in the Great Lakes Region. . .less by Mzi Siyabe on December 12 2008, 16:07 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

What is wrong with these Africans Who cares what the party's national executive committee had discussed about the fears that Mugabe might be facing if he were to relinquish power. Are they also all dimwits. Mugabe needs to face his crimes. He is a disgusting, vile piece of humanity that . .more has corrupted all those around him who now find themselves equally contaminated. No matter what the outcome he must and most probably will find himself on death row at the Hague. THERE IS ONLY ONE STANDARD AND THAT IS THE TRUTH. The stupid African idea of a lower standard for themselves just doesn't wash and does little to support their intelligence and integrity as ordinary human beings. . .less by Incomprehensible on December 14 2008, 10:55 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

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