Firstly, thank you Robert SA, it is a government/ANC standpoint and not a true reflection of THE PEOPLE'S view. Secondly, lose the oil angle....it is demeaning to the people who reside there. Human rights are at the heart of this matter...DEMOCRACY!!!

Christiaan, Cape Town, South Africa

Anyone who holds out hope that South Africa will continue to prosper into the future with the enlightened vision that Mandela gifted to the nation will be horrified to see it listed in the company of "China, Russia, Libya and Vietnam".

What a shame for the people of Zimbabwe.

OB, London,

Chenzira

Again I'm happy for Zimbabwe to have "space to evolve".

The price though of the west turning a blind eye to the thugs of Zanu and their like is that you and the rest of Africa forgoe the billions we send in aid.

You don't want our interferance? Fine then don't take our money.

Guy, London, UK

BJ Deller/Marbella you're talking unreconstructed rubbish. I was born and raised in Zim as a white colonial, even I can see that because Smith, Vorster and co ran tight economic ships in Rhodesia and SA does not mean that the racist political and social systems were just, whatever the turmoil now.

Richard Hallward, Warsaw, Poland

PLEASE, rather than writing "South Africa" try to use "the government of South Africa" or the "ANC", it's more respectful to some of the citizens of SA who are in total disagreement with the ANC's friendship with Mugabe and other despots of the world.

Robert, Cape Town, South Africa

john steel, hemingford, uk, Zimbabweans should be allowed the space for their political processes to evolve. It has taken the established democracies over 1000 years to do so and it's still not perfect. Why do you expect Zim to do so in within 28years? As for the evidence, we know Zim well.

chenzira, London,

Please, world, realize that it is not "South Africa shields Mugabe", but "the Mbeki-led ANC governement of South Africa shields Mugabe". We, the people of South Africa, do not condone the actions/inactions of our short-sighted, impotent, dangerous government.

sneeuwitjie, Pretoria, South Africa

If South Africa and most other African countries continue to back odious regimes like Magabe's perhaps it's better to leave them all to find their own way to democracy, or at least a to civilized way of living.

Simon Marshland, Bath, UK

Guy,london, the Zimbabwe that we want is where all races, tribes and creeds can live side by side happily ,all pooling their efforts together to create a better and prosperous Zimbabwe. If you think you are making a positive contibution,why do you want to leave? iam a fan of self-help not Aid.

chenzira, London,

Mugabe is a true courageous hero. During the liberation war his brave troops downed a Viscount full of holidaymakers. As the (White) survivors, including women and children, staggered from the wreckage they were gunned down by these brave terrorists. Mugabe deserves to continue enriching himself.

Gandanga, QLD, Australia

Chenzira, Winston

I'm more than happy to leave Zimbabwe and the whole of the corrupt continent that is Africa alone.

Are you happy to not receive all the aid that the UK (and other western nations) sends over alone to Africa in return?

Guy, London, UK

I have watched Zim deteriorate over 20 years, yet Mugabe was voted in many times legitimately, which is what the locals wanted. Now South Africa is suffering under the Zim refugees & the destabilization Mugabe causes, yet Mbeki is oblivous. TAB-That's Africa, Baby, it's normal stuff!Get used to it!

Uhuru, Pretoria, South Africa

Why is China against action? The chinese wants Africa for its own wealth therefor they do not want to upset Mbeki and vote against him. China is developing into an economic power house and they need Africa for the resources. China will eventually rule the world.

Jamesj, oxford, oxfordsh

Mandela famously said of South Africa that "Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another". He implied by whites obviously. In Zimbabwe there is a greater travesty, the oppression of a people by its corrupt leaders.

Peter Harris, London, UK

One day, all the history books will record, if the truth is written by honest people, that great statesmen such as Ian Smith and the previous government of South Africa were right and their plans were the best option for all Africans for short and long-term peace and prosperity. Many are now dying

B J Deller, Marbella, Spain

A friend of mine commented that Mr Thabo Mbeki the President of South Africa must surely be corrupt to take such a soft view of Robert Mugabe! Is there any other explaination?

Rik Lambert, Letchworth, UK

It is not South Africa protecting Mugabe, it is Mbeki protecting Mugabe. Big difference. We know you are sick of Africa's usual problems, but, please don't leave us, please help.

anna, Johannesburg,

Brown and Bush are not acting more strongly because Mugabe would like nothing more than further UK/US sanctions. His survival hinges on him being able to ratchet up the anti-colonial rhetoric among his supporters. The real criminal is South Africa - shame on that country. 'African solutions' Ha!!

Richard , London, UK

Zimbabwe's police chief Augustine Chihuri, an ally of Mugabe, has accused the opposition of 'rigging the elections and stirring political violence'. Chihuri is one of the leading beneficiaries of Zimbabwean hyper-inflation and like Mugabe, knows he'll hang if any opposition comes to power.

William Bemister, Oxford, England, UK

I always hear "Let the Zimbabweans deal with their problems & we not interfear".I have lived in Africa & been to Zimbabwe & if the international comunity does not do anything then more people will die"Without sanctions on S.A.,Apartheid would still be there but it's a African leader so we do nothing

chris, Rushden, England

Could chenzira and Nkomo-Mason say what Zimbabweans can do to get rid of Mugabe who is causing Zimbabweans to starve? Or do they know that Zimbabweans are not starving and if so can they reveal their evidence.Perhaps they believe that Mugabe is a good leader

john steel, hemingford, uk

I agree with the South Africans –the conduct of the election is an internal matter for Zimbabweans to resolve. Don’t expect to understand African-rules politics or the spirit of ubuntu. Africans have not commented on the much delayed presidential vote between Obama and Mrs Clinton –nor should they. Uhuru is not something that Africans should sell to the highest bidder.

Winston Nkomo-Mason, Johannesburg, South Africa

As the African saying goes "those who mourn loudest at someone's funeral have suspect ulterior motives". Zimbabwe's problems are best solved by Zimbabweans themselves. Instead of glad standing on the world stage, the opposition MDC should be in Zimbabwe working with fellow Zimbabweans.

chenzira, London,

Mugabe + Mbeki = Machiavelli.
The New Princes of Despair.

Mike L, Chippenham, Wilts

Let Africans resolve their own problems without any arm twisting by the so called International community. There are more pressing problems in the world than Zimbabwe.Who is paying for all these international trips by the opposition MDC?

chenzira, London,

Wouldn't it be easier to leave Africa to its own devices. If South Africa wants to protect Mugabe, then let them do so. I am fed up hearing about this issue and past colonial issues.

Hamad Lone, London, England

Thugs and tyrants looking after one of their own, what a suprise! The UN is rubbish, we should stop paying our subs and let the world go hang.

Susan, Barry, S Wales

Members of the UNSC should "police" according to the UN's Charter far more stringently. Mugabe should have been brought to book years ago for his Army's Fifth Brigade ethnic cleansing operations in Matabeleland. Instead the UN hides behind its Charter as a convenient excuse for doing nothing.

Bill, Stavanger, Norway

Presidents for life is a widespread habit in Africa.

Simon Marshland, Bath, UK

If only Zimbabwe was sitting on an oil field of a billion barrels.
A. Hacker, Barnet, Herts.,

1) There's oil in Afghanistan and Kosovo is there?
2) The US and UK, have already got rid of Saddam and the Taliban, maybe it is someone else's turn?

Ian Bannen, Oxford, UK

Mugabe is southern Africa's Sadaam Hussein. He's disgusting.

If only Zimbabwe was sitting on an oil field of a billion barrels.
The Bush/Brown/Blair team would be there in a heart beat.
No oil.....well, tut-tut is all we can afford.

A. Hacker, Barnet, Herts.,