Online Reporter
The world, particularly the Global South, has a lot to learn from our country.
Our experience over the past 25 years provides a huge number of lessons that can help Africa and the rest of the developing world to overcome challenges that typically confront those that decide to be masters of their destinies.
In 2000, Zimbabweans took a decision to reclaim their land that 90 years of British colonialism had stolen from them. Up to 380 000 formerly landless blacks are now proud owners of farmland. They are doing wonders on it, achieving records in maize, wheat and tobacco production. Among the beneficiaries are youths, who are also excelling.
But the land reforms attracted Western sanctions. Yes, the economy is progressing but there is no denying that the sanctions have had a detrimental impact on the economy and the people’s well-being.
In addition, the same forces piled much political pressure and malign scheming that was meant to remove Zanu-PF from power. The scheming almost succeeded in 2008 when the ruling party lost its parliamentary majority and emerged second in the presidential race. An inclusive government had to be formed and the following five years were all about discordance in government.
Despite the challenges, the past 25 years have engendered a consciousness among our people to build capacity in themselves to be truly self-reliant. Instead of them going about seeking formal jobs, generally hard to get in a sanctioned economy, they are doing it all themselves, running small but thriving businesses.
Indeed, our country provides multiple lessons in the importance of pro-people policies and resourcefulness in difficult times.
It is in this context that the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa has sent its Youth League here to learn from our development experience.
Cde Collin Malatji, the league’s president, said on Thursday that they are here to learn how Zanu-PF survived the 2008-2013 inclusive government, how it executed land reform and empowerment programmes.
In May last year, the ANC lost its parliamentary majority partly due to a resurging Western-backed political party, Democratic Alliance. That forced the revolutionary party to form a unity government the following month. It has been a turbulent 10 months for the ANC.
In January, President Cyril Ramaphosa answered a centuries-old call for deracialisation of land ownership in his country when he signed a relevant law. The piece of legislation seeks to ensure that blacks, who constitute 80 percent of that nation’s population and own just four percent of the land, are given much more of the factor of production.
A month after he enacted that law, the US cut all aid to his country and is threatening sanctions. There has been much American rhetoric against South Africa over the past two months, accusing our neighbour of practising “racism” in its just drive to actually correct racially-entrenched land ownership.
Our message to the ANC is that in fighting to deliver land to the people, to govern alone without the encumbrance of sharing power with counter-revolutionaries and to economically empower the masses, they are on the right path.
They will face stiff opposition and much scheming from the usual suspects but they have to be determined to fight because their cause is just.
