In Defence of Marxism

Yesterday many Zimbabwean shops and businesses were open as usual despite opposition calls for a general strike to press for election results to be published. With 80 percent of the population unemployed, many people cannot afford to lose a day's pay, while some said they had not heard of the strike. Armed police and soldiers are on patrol, even though there are no plans for street protests.

The opposition says Morgan Tsvangirai defeated President Robert Mugabe and that the count is being rigged. The police have banned any public demonstrations and warn that, "those who breach the peace will be dealt with severely and firmly".

Zimbabwe's opposition says more than 50 of its supporters have been arrested after striking over poll results. The MDC says that violence is increasing around the country, as Mr Mugabe's supporters prepare for a possible run-off. It claims that two of its activists had been killed and 200 hospitalised after being assaulted by ruling party militias. The MDC says its activists are being targeted in rural areas which voted for the opposition.

Zimbabwe stands on the brink of civil war, and yet at the weekend, South African President Thabo Mbeki blissfully announced that there was "no crisis" in Zimbabwe. However, his party, South Africa's ruling ANC, has said there is a crisis in Zimbabwe, directly contradicting President Mbeki. The ANC leaders are clearly more in touch with reality and are obviously concerned that the dire situation could affect the whole region, by which we may be permitted to understand that they mean that their own position could also be at risk!