Mmusi Maimane criticises President Ramaphosa’s attendance at Mozambique's inauguration, calling it a betrayal of democratic principles due to his 'selective attendance' at neighbouring inaugurations.
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Build One South Africa (Bosa) leader Mmusi Maimane has criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to attend the inauguration of Mozambique’s new President, Daniel Chapo, despite claims of election fraud and ongoing violence in the country.
Speaking on Newzroom Afrika on Thursday morning, Maimane said that Ramaphosa’s presence at the inauguration, which took place after Mozambique’s disputed elections in October 2024, sent the wrong message.
“First and foremost, I certainly think that, as the former president of Botswana had declared, the elections in Mozambique were not free and fair. With continuing violence and human rights being violated in Mozambique, the president's attendance simply is a betrayal of those people,” Maimane said.
The elections in Mozambique have been heavily contested, with opposition groups and activists accusing the ruling party, Frelimo, of election manipulation and suppressing opposition voices.
These concerns have been compounded by the ongoing violence in the country, which has claimed over 300 lives since the elections. Despite these issues, the Mozambique Constitutional Council declared the elections credible, and Chapo was inaugurated as the country’s new president.
However, Maimane argued that Ramaphosa’s decision to attend the inauguration undermines South Africa’s commitment to defending democracy in the region.
He pointed out that Ramaphosa had not attended the inauguration of opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema in Zambia, even though the elections there were free and fair.
“When there’s a free and fair election in Botswana and the opposition wins, the president doesn’t attend. But when there’s a rigged election and the incumbent through Frelimo wins, the president does attend. It was the same with ZANU-PF,” Maimane said.
Maimane accused Ramaphosa of being selective about the inaugurations he chose to attend, calling this a betrayal of the democratic values South Africa should be upholding.
“It is a complete betrayal, and it is a reversal of democratic practice in the region,” he added. “There isn’t a sense upon which we believe South Africa has a deliberate, intentional role of defending human rights in the region.”
He also questioned South Africa’s stance on sovereignty, pointing out that the principle is being used to avoid confronting human rights violations in neighbouring countries.
“When water is flowing into your house, don’t pick up a mop first. Go find out where the leak is coming in from,” Maimane said, drawing a comparison between the situation in Mozambique and the broader political crises in Southern Africa.
Maimane referred to South Africa’s past handling of Zimbabwe, where political unrest in 2007 led to many Zimbabweans fleeing to South Africa. “When democracy fails in countries, it becomes a South African problem,” he said.
Maimane’s criticism of South Africa’s “quiet diplomacy” approach, where the country avoids taking a firm stance on human rights issues, also raised concerns.
He argued that the South African government has been too willing to engage with governments like Frelimo, without giving enough attention to the opposition.
“How much engagement takes place with the opposition? How much space is there for open dialogue?” Maimane questioned.
The criticism comes as violence continues to erupt in Mozambique following the October elections. Maimane’s remarks reflect growing frustration among regional leaders and human rights advocates who feel South Africa should take a stronger stand against authoritarian rule in the Southern African region.
“Symbolically, we deploy our troops to the DRC, but when people are dying in our own neighbourhood, in our own backyard, it’s a bit like if your neighbours are fighting, and you can see people being killed, but you still choose to say, ‘No, I will attend their ceremonies’ rather than stopping the violence,” Maimane said.
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