Thread by @Wamagaisa

1. Tsvangirai once told Zuma at a bilateral, “President, Zimbabwe is not a foreign policy issue for you. It’s a domestic issue.” He meant challenges in Zimbabwe directly impacted South Africa. Therefore, South Africa could not afford to play a blind eye. voanews.com/episode/botswa…

2. SA could not afford to ignore what was happening in Zim or to pretend that all was well. MT cited the influx of immigrants and the consequent pressure upon SA’s social services. It was important to stop mollycoddling the regime. I don’t think the message was understood.

3. The same point applies to Botswana and other countries in the region @OfficialMasisi Zimbabwe is more than a foreign policy issue. The SADC statement was completely out of sync with the situation in Zimbabwe. There’s no new Chapter contrary to their pontifications.

4. The political & economic crisis is fast turning into a humanitarian crisis, with many needing food aid, no jobs, power shortages, State violence & brutality, closure of spaces, human rights violations. Human instinct is fight or flight - many are fleeing to the neighbors.

5. As long as they mollycoddle the regime and pretend it’s the victim & not the perpetrator, people will move to seek refuge. If people’s rights are not respected, they will vote with their feet. The history of humankind is a history of migration from zones of want to safe zones.