SADC is a big joke!

Why was SADC (Southern African Development Community) ever formed?

What purpose does this regional grouping actually serve?

I look back to the organization’s genesis as the SADCC (Southern African Development Coordination Conference), which was birthed from the Frontline States.

The Frontline States (FLS) was an alliance of countries in Southern Africa that played a crucial role in the region’s political landscape during the latter half of the 20th century.

The main purpose of the FLS was to coordinate efforts against apartheid and colonialism in Southern Africa.

The alliance provided political, diplomatic, and material support to liberation movements fighting against colonial rule and apartheid, particularly in Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia).

The FLS included Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and, after its independence in 1980, Zimbabwe.

This alliance was the basis of what was to be known at the SADCC, established on 1st April1980, in Lusaka, Zambia, following the Lusaka Declaration, which outlined its objectives and goals.

The founding members were Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland (now Eswatini), Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The primary aim of SADCC was to coordinate development projects and reduce economic dependence on South Africa, which at the time was under apartheid rule.

The member states wanted to create a framework for cooperation that would enhance economic growth and stability in the region.

Nonetheless, in all these noble principles of enhancing economic development, the original ideals of freedom and independence suddenly somehow took a back seat.

No longer was there all the colonial-era talk of democracy and human rights!

It was as if these values did not matter anymore.

In 1992, SADCC was transformed into the SADC with the signing of the SADC Treaty in Windhoek, Namibia.

The transformation aimed to broaden the focus of the organization, from coordination to deeper economic integration and cooperation.

Again, in all this, the initial core values of the FSL – that is, freedom, human rights, democracy – were never given much consideration.

These issues had been forgotten and put into the dustbin.

This did not mean, by any stretch of the imagination, that, suddenly – just because these Southern African nations had finally attained their political independence from their former colonial masters – democracy and human rights had become cornerstones of these countries.

Far from it.

In fact, barely two years into Zimbabwe’s independence, the ZANU PF regime was already massacring thousands of innocent unarmed civilians in the Midlands and Matebeleland provinces.

The then SADCC never uttered a single word of condemnation.

It was as if nothing of concern was taking place inside one of its member states.

All the organization could make noise about was the heinous apartheid system in South Africa at the time.

It was as if only white-on-black repression was reprehensible and unacceptable.

However, black-on-black oppression and atrocities were quite normal and alright.

In other words, the only freedom these former Frontline States were fighting for was against white repression.

Nonetheless, if the repression was at the hands of fellow black leaders, then there was nothing wrong at all.

This depraved understanding of freedom, democracy, and human rights was to set a most disturbing precedence for decades to come.

That is why, even today, as hundreds of human rights defenders and opposition activists are being arrested, tortured, and detained in Zimbabwe, there is not a single word of condemnation from SADC.

As a matter of fact, the organization is busy focusing on the upcoming 44th Ordinary SADC Heads of State and Government Summit to be held right here in Zimbabwe on the 17th August 2024.

This is the same country where innocent men and women – who have not committed any crimes – are facing unprecedented attacks at the hands of their own government.

Even as reports of the savage beating up of 78 opposition supporters – who were arrested as they gathered at a private residence for the Day of the African Child on 16th June 2024 – make global headlines, SADC is not saying a word.

It does not matter to SADC at all that there is a one-year-old baby locked up with its months – as the group is denied its constitutional right to bail.

For SADC, the fact that these 78 are being accused of ‘unlawfully gathering’ at a private residence, where no permission is required in the first place, is irrelevant.

Just a few days ago, four activists – Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, Vusumuzi Moyo, and Samuel Gwenzi – were abducted off an airplane and allegedly tortured, before being imprisoned.

This, again, means absolutely nothing to SADC – despite the fact that torture is illegal under international law, with the adoption of the Geneva Convention of 1929, and the third and fourth Geneva Conventions of 1949.

Waterboarding, as a form of torture, was allegedly used against Chere – as the four were held incommunicado at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport for hours.

International law explicitly prohibits the torture and cruel treatment of civilians.

o why the deafening  silence by SADC?

As far as the regional bloc is concerned, all is well in Zimbabwe.

All that matters is that the SADC Summit is held ‘successfully’ – as the heads of state enjoy the extravagant comforts and luxuries rolled out by the President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa regime.

Who cares if millions of ordinary citizens are languishing in poverty – with nearly half the population actually characterized as living below the international poverty datum line?

SADC does not give a hoot that there are no operational cancer machines in the whole country, with health care institutions lacking the most basic medications.

It means nothing to SADC that, as much as these regional leaders will be sleeping in 5-star hotels or villas, and dining on the finest exquisite meals – millions of ordinary Zimbabweans are going without adequate food each day.

Yet, in all this, the ruling elite in Zimbabwe, with their families and friends, are looting billions and billions of dollars in our national resources without any remorse.

Does it ever matter to SADC that nearly daily there are reports coming out of Zimbabwe of those in proximity to power securing dubious tenders where they siphon millions of dollars in public funds for virtually nothing in return?

Such indifference by SADC is not, at all, surprising.

Let us remember that this is the same SADC that totally ignored its own election observer mission report condemning Zimbabwe’s August 2023 harmonized elections.

They were recorded at falling short of regional principles and guidelines governing democratic elections.

Nonetheless, this meant zero to SADC.

There is a huge reason why the regional body is useless and a toothless bulldog.

While SADC has significant influence in promoting regional cooperation and development, its effectiveness depends largely on the commitment and cooperation of its member states.

The organization’s decisions and initiatives are implemented through consensus and voluntary adherence by member governments

This ‘voluntary adherence’ is why Zimbabwe can blatantly breach regional guidelines and principles governing democratic elections, and SADC does absolutely nothing.

This is simply because this adherence is purely on a voluntary basis.

No member state is compelled to adhere to these guidelines.

In other words, SADC does not have any real teeth.

This was deliberately done by its members states who did not want to be bitten by the same teeth they gave the organization.

Additionally, that is why SADC does not have charters or conventions but rather protocols and guidelines, which are in the same mold as the UN (United Nations) or EU (European Union), which are legally binding on all signatories.

This means that it does not really have any rules to which every member state is bound (with consequences in the event of any violations) – but rather has what can termed as ‘recommendations’, which each member state can or may not follow.

So, what Zimbabwe effectively ‘violated’ in last year’s elections were mere guidelines and not any binding law.

These are simple ‘recommendations’ on how SADC member states may hold their elections.

No one is obliged to adhere to these ‘guidelines’.

As such, there is really no action that SADC can take in the event of violations.

This then inevitably raises some crucial questions.

Is SADC still relevant?

Or, has it become obsolete?

Was it ever relevant, in the first place?

Do the people of Southern Africa need SADC?

Why would anyone need an organization that does not represent their interests?

For what reason would anyone need an organization that can not stand up for them when they are being abused and violated by those in power?

What purpose does SADC serve when it does not even have teeth to bite all those governments that oppress their own citizens?

There is no denying it – SADC is a big joke!

● Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/