Zuma courts Kabila while the people of DRC face acute crisis

Less than two weeks ago the Kofi Annan Foundation, representing nine respected former African statesmen, made an urgent appeal to the Democratic Republic of Congo government to organise elections “before it is too late”.

"The failure to organise elections in late 2016, in conformity with the constitution of the DRC, has created an acute political crisis," the foundation said, adding: "The future of the DRC is in grave danger."

Yet, a few days later, President Jacob Zuma happily hosted his DRC counterpart, Joseph Kabila, in Pretoria, congratulating him on "progress achieved and the manner in which you handled the process".

There has been no progress achieved. The manner in which Kabila has been "handling the process" has been through stonewalling and delaying tactics. Kabila did not step down after serving two consecutive office terms and has now promised to step down at the end of this year, but only if the country can host "perfect elections".

Asked if he was plotting a third term, Kabila replied in an interview with German magazine Spiegel: "It depends what a third term is." There clearly is sparse political will for elections to be organised in the vast mineral-rich central African country that suffered through one of the continent's deadliest wars between 1998 and 2003.

The Institute for Security Studies recently said the Zuma administration's foreign policy is often at odds with constitutional values. Africa requires democracy to escape bad governance. As the Annan foundation said: "This crisis affects first and foremost the lives and livelihoods of our Congolese brothers and sisters. But left unresolved the crisis will have continental implications."

Sadly, the 77 million affected DRC citizens should not expect any support here from their brothers and sisters in South Africa.