The shame of Thabo Mbeki

By failing to condemn Robert Mugabe's murderous dictatorship, Mr Mbeki has done more than any other outsider to keep him in power. He has also perpetuated the flood of Zimbabwean refugees who now comprise three fifths of South Africa's foreigners. They seek shelter and livelihoods in an economy burdened further by systemic corruption and sharply rising food prices. The results include lynchings and looting that have left one Johannesburg district looking “like a war zone”. For Mr Mbeki to announce the creation of panel to study the causes of the lawlessness, as he has, is fiddling while Rome burns...

In the twilight of his power, Mr Mbeki has shown himself almost as detached from reality as Mr Mugabe. He can claim some credit for presiding over robust economic growth of about 5 per cent per year. Yet he has failed spectacularly to channel its proceeds to the townships where xenophobia now threatens to take root...

See also: "Flames of Hate" at Times Multimedia. Disturbing images of the latest wave of xenophobic violence.