Distant neighbours: Are South Africa and Zimbabwe still on speaking terms?

Amy MacIver is joined by News24 foreign editor Phillip de Wet.

Listen below.

South Africa's relationship with Zimbabwe under the new Government of National Unity (GNU) remains complex.

In his latest News24 piece, De Wet says that South Africa has previously failed in Zimbabwe, with dire direct consequences, and now seems to show no appetite for doing better under the new government.

De Wet says the South African government is meeting with their counterparts in China this week and a meeting is scheduled with the United States government next month. However, very little has been heard from the GNU regarding Zimbabwe.

"South Africa is having hard, difficult conversations elsewhere in the world with countries that are incredibly powerful. When it come to Zimbabwe, I personally am very worried about the sheer silence we've had so far."

- Phillip de Wet, Foreign editor - News24 

De Wet says while diplomatic ties have been maintained, tensions persist, mostly due to ongoing economic and political instability in Zimbabwe.

"Zimbabwe where the opposition party has completely imploded, where a great many activists are still behind bars, on what appears to be trumped up charges..."

- Phillip de Wet, Foreign editor - News24 

"Zanu-PF appears to have started a conversation about extending term limits and over-riding a constitution which is barely a decade old to keep the incumbent in power."

- Phillip de Wet, Foreign editor - News24 

De Wet describes South Africa's 'quiet diplomacy' under the Mugabe regime as 'disastrous', and says the consequences of that can be seen in the number of Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa.

"It's a very hard problem to solve, and it's not entirely South Africa's problem to solve."

- Phillip de Wet, Foreign editor - News24 

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