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The Herald, May 25, 1981

THE Acting Prime Minister, Mr Simon Muzenda, last night paid tribute to African states for their total support of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and he bitterly attacked South Africa’s apartheid policy.

In a broadcast to the nation marking Africa Unity Day, Mr Muzenda said the people of independent Africa starved and sometimes died in order to free Zimbabwe from colonialism.

“I should express our profound gratitude to the people of the African states for the total and unqualified support they rendered to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle,” he said.

Mr Muzenda said Africa’s sacrifices were not in vain now that Zimbabwe was free and a member of the Organisation of African Unity.

“Let us repay them by respecting the OAU Chapter and by playing our part in the fulfilment of the organisation’s lofty objectives.”

He attacked the South African Government and said it was reducing blacks in that country to mere tools of apartheid and had created a bastion of white power which was maintained and supported by the most aggressive state machinery that “humanity has seen since Hitler’s Gestapo.”

“The aggressive activities of the South African Government are well-known. It continues to occupy Namibia illegally and massacres the people in the territory every day.”

South Africa continued to multiply it’s manoeuvres to delay the independence of Namibia and “It was strange that the Western powers connived in this ploy.”

He reminded South Africa that there could be no solution to the problems of Namibia by fanning the flames of war and creating tension in the whole region.

Mr Muzenda said a solution would not be found by repeating history. He called for adjustments to be made “to the realities of the situation and the recognition of the right of the Namibian people to determine their own destiny”.

He warned that no weapons or threats would stop the liberation of the territory and South Africa itself because the independence of these two countries remained the sacred duty of the African people and other peace loving nations of the world.

“The Frontline States will not yield to blackmail and aggression – no matter how cruel or barbarous it may be,” he said. He also said the OAU had called upon the superpowers to keep the Indian Ocean a zone of peace and free from nuclear weapons.

It had called on these countries to dismantle military bases, particularly on the islands of Diego Garcia occupied by the United States. Mr Muzenda said Africa had gone a long way to solve most disputes left behind by colonialism through peaceful means. Refugee problems resulting from inter-African states’ disputes were being tackled seriously, and with cooperation of other organisations sympathetic to African problems, solutions continue to be found.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Today is Africa Day, which is commemorated annually to mark the founding of the Organisation of African Unity on 25 May 1963. The day was formally known as African Freedom Day and then African Liberation Day.

It’s origin lies in the collective African resistance to colonialism and economic exploitation of the continent.

This year’s theme is ‘Africa – Opportunities in Challenging Times’. The celebrations will centre around a panel discussion entitled Invest in Africa for Sustainable Leadership and Development.