South African dockers shame Mbeki

It is hard to add injury to the insult of Robert Mugabe extolling the virtues of Zimbabwean democracy. But Thabo Mbeki managed it, with the announcement that the South African government had authorised the docking of the An Yue Jiang, a Chinese freighter packed with mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and three million rounds of ammunition ­ all bound for Harare.

It looked like there would be little to celebrate on this, Zimbabwe's Independence Day. But then came the extraordinary news that Durban's dock-workers have refused point-blank to unload the shipment of weapons.

Calling the docking permit "grossly irresponsible", members of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) said they "did not agree with the position of the government not to intervene". Quite right, too.

It is clear enough that South Africa has no legal right to restrict trade between the governments of China and Zimbabwe. But neither need they facilitate it. (Just how much quieter could Pretoria's 'quiet diplomacy' possibly be?)

Few, I imagine, thought it would be a crew of dockers who corrected the imbalance between legality and justice in South African politics. But SATAWU have found themselves uniquely placed to call their country's vacillating government to account, and have acted with laudable humanity.

What Thabo Mbeki won't do for Zimbabwe, it seems, the South African people are willing to do in his stead. Could these be the first fruits of the great pan-African conscience this continent has been dreaming of for 60 years?

A year ago I argued that South Africa should isolate Zimbabwe geographically, in order to bring about change.

Now SATAWU has taken it upon themselves, and they must stick to their guns (as it were). They alone can ensure that if Mbeki wants that shipment to reach Harare, the last shred of his political dignity will go there with it. ·