[I find this poll somewhat troubling. One has to deduce from this that a good portion of Blacks actually agree with what Mbeki is doing in Zimbabwe. That is not a good sign. Jan]

FORTY percent of South Africans do not support President Thabo Mbeki’s quiet diplomacy approach to the Zimbabwean crisis, an ACNielsen survey has found.

They would like Mbeki to take a tougher stance against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s government, which has recently been accused of human rights abuses following its controversial clean-up campaign which has left about 300000 people homeless.

They prefer “a human-rights anchored form of intervention, advocating pressure on the Zimbabwean government to practise the type of human rights that South Africans enjoy themselves”.

This adds to a chorus of opposition to Pretoria’s handling of the matter.

However, 28% of the respondents said they favoured SA’s approach, with a third believing that Zimbabwe’s sovereignty should be respected.

The survey asked South Africans what their choice of foreign policy towards Zimbabwe would be.

“The levels of support for the options clearly show a nation that is divided and confused on the ‘issue of Zimbabwe’,” said Susan Booysen, a research consultant and professor of political studies at the University of Port Elizabeth.

The intervention option was supported across SA’s racial groups.

The survey was conducted in May on nearly 2500 adults from metropolitan and urban areas, representing 56% of the population.

“The findings are significant given the South African government’s recent, albeit hesitating, indications of possible adaptations to its previous ‘quiet diplomacy’ stances,” said Booysen.

She said indications came from Mbeki’s comment that he was instrumental in requesting the special United Nations envoy’s mission to Zimbabwe following Operation Murambatsvina.

Mbeki’s dialogue with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change has also restarted.

Source: AllAfrica.Com
URL: http://allafrica.com/stories/200507220075.htm…/p>