Aylesbury LIFE because Learning Is For Everyone

The man who announced the end of apartheid in 1990 and saw South Africa to multi-racial elections four years later, former President FW De Klerk described Tsvangirai's statesman-like qualities on BBC Radio 4 Today today.

"There is no question that South Africa has been damaged, and that the whole of Southern Africa's reputation has been damaged, severely, by what has happened in Zimbabwe and therefore we all have a vested interest in ensuring that things take a better turn there.

I think South Africa made some major mistakes although I've been defensive to the extent of saying and asking should South Africa send in it's army and then like President Bush and Mr Blair did in Iraq and then surely the answer is no.

With millions of Zimbbweans already in South Africa already an in other neighbouring countries, should we close [inaudible] bridge and then surely the answer is no.

We would only hurt those who are already dying of hunger and of poverty and of destitution. So we had to put pressure but the pressure was insufficient. There was too much velvet in the glove and too little iron in the fist.

[In response to a question about Mbeki] I think Zimbabwe's lot is now in the hand of the Zimbabweans. They've had an election. They've elected a new parliament with a new party in coalition with a very small party having a majority. They are going to have a run-off election in which a new president will be elected.

I think Tsvangirai actually won the previous election by a narrow margin but with an outright majority. I think he is showing statesman-like qualities by agreeing to a re-run. If he wins again, the people of Zimbabwe would have spoken.

I think President Mbeki's efforts to get a government of national unity are now outdated. The people of Zimbabwe must speak now.

I also believe that at certain stages President Mugabe made promises to President Mbeki which he didn't keep and in that sense I am a bit sorry for President Mbeki because I think Mugabe at times led him up the garden path."

FW De Clerk, Former President of South Africa speaking on BBC Radio 4 Today 30 May 2008