Over recent months 'great changes' have come to the two once-segregationist, former British colonies of southern Africa, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe and South Africa. Or, as New Zealand's infamous tui billboard would put it, 'Yeah, right!' And just so any half-awake punter might have predicted/known...
Yes, the Republic of South Africa changed its leadership a little while ago now. No matter - as per its northern 'cousin', Zimbabwe, such 'changes', as cosmetic in appearance as in actual nature, just went to show - yet again - the truth of ye 'ole adage: the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Moreover in both nations the land appropriations/expropriations evidently carry on apace, or at least are not only being maintained, but their terms are being widened...as white South African farmers now likewise feel the full brunt of long pent-up resentment and bitterness over the land subjugation of the two countries' landless plebs. This particular brand of utu has certainly been a long time in gestation/building, and no doubt to those concerned feels only all too justified and excusable.
But onto South Africa's highly fraught situation another time, suffice to say that many, both there and overseas, are not at all in some partisan bunker with their blinkers on, or deceived thereabouts; for example the much-respected African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and New Zealand's own (one-time *C.A.R.E. head) Springboks' Tour protest organizer, the much-pilloried but thoughtful and insightful John Minto: both understandably long disillusioned with the actual on-the-ground results of the justly much-celebrated end of Apartheid - as they, like the rest of us, see that wonderful socio-political 'transformation' turned into barefaced betrayal.
No, the realities of political **nepotism/corruption, abject failure to share the largesse and spoils of victory with the poverty-stricken multitudes, and unprecedented, out-of-control crime and violence pretty well ever since the [much-trumpeted] changes there really say it all, don't they?; 'changes' which have proven as shallow and superficial as a lanced boil.
And of course its cultural cousin and neighbour, Zimbabwe, has shared a similar fate - minus the awful violence (among the people-at-large, anyhow) it must be conceded. But is even that advantage/'superiority' soon to be submerged in a perfectly understandable reaction and *****kickback to Zimbabwe's just-concluded elections (just as we've indeed seen in its immediate aftermath)?
Yes, longtime, valiant Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai met his earthly demise only months ago - doubtless 'assisted', even if not directly precipitated and contributed to, by his previous 'incident' at the hands of Government-sanctioned security thugs. Nobly surviving throughout a period of years and decades when such 'ad hoc' state brutality was regularly meted out if on a sporadic basis and in an uncoordinated fashion, yet now appears highly likely to return 'with a vengeance'.
A situation all the more tragic when one considers how Rhodesia/Zimbabwe - post-independence, that is - has, unlike so many of, indeed arguably the great majority of, its African fellow states, managed to admirably maintain a popular resistance - to Mugabe's rule in particular - without recourse to armed uprising or rebellion. Till now, anyhow. But with the re-accession to power of ******'the Crocodile' that admirable restraint looks set to become - hopelessly - unstuck.
Yes, the long-running era of el tinpot dictators and petty despots (in the central south of Africa) seems destined to continue, indeed to carry on pretty well where it left off...under the various predecessors. Yet (as just alluded to) up to now the people of Zimbabwe have surely been a shining example of patient endurance and perseverance in the face of ongoing, unrelenting, top-down political, military and economic oppression and servitude - whatever the outward semblance and even realities of democracy in the land might well have been at times.
This is a 'matter' of some interest to me, as - see my own blogpost half a year to a year ago or so '(So) Who's to Say Who Should Stay?' - unlike so many talkback hosts who apparently seem to, rather glibly and simplistically, assume that ye average citizen in such scenarios should 'simply rise up and overthrow the bastards' (who cares if they themselves lose their lives in the process?) - I for one fully accept that discretion is indeed invariably 'the better part of valour' (in such situations especially, quite obviously).
For, as I say in that opinion piece, which of us (kiwis, for example) would choose to stay and fight to the death (as it were) if, say, and admittedly however hypothetically, there were a civil war brought on by Maori separatists rising up to overthrow the established order (of things). Yes, who indeed?
*Citizens Association for Racial Equality; cf NZ's other, compatriot-in-protest, once well-known H.A.R.T. [Halt All Racist Tours] outfit, also famously led at one time by Trevor Richards.
**Though, let's be quite unhypocritical here - in pointing the finger at these two nations; for assuredly the world's three largest, globally dominant and militarily and geo-politically preeminent super-powers are hardly exempt from ***such charges and accusations these days.
***Though, as with Zimbabwe, neither China nor Russia seem plagued with the violence seemingly endemic to the ****continent of North America in our era; and at least China has - whatever its many other, serious failures and shortcomings (and far worse) - made sterling efforts over recent years and decades to raise the living standards of vast swathes of its ever-burgeoning masses. And who really knows about the comparable situation in Russia?
****Excepting the civilized nation of Canada, that is.
*****Of the decidedly non-pecuniary variety, that is!
******So nicknamed, evidently, for his notorious role in the dreadful, post-independence massacres in Matabeleland, where large numbers of the - clearly un-obsequious - supporters of Joshua Nkomo's own political movement were evidently rounded up and summarily, conclusively dealt with and to.
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