Maimane’s attempts to reignite his political standing in South Africa hit a brick wall when his recently launched One South Africa Movement did not make any notable impact on the South African scene. Maimane, who views himself as the champion of neoliberalism in SADC and beyond, has since partnered former Botswana President, Ian Khama, and local opposition personalities in pursuit of the regime change goal of all Pan Africanist governments.
Maimane and his cohorts claim to enjoy the support of Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema.The group is funded by the US’ National Democratic Institute.
A source within Zimbabwe’s MDC Alliance leadership has revealed that Maimane recently organized a workshop at Wild Horse Lodge in Free State, South Africa, attended by local NGOs and CSOs with the aim of crafting strategies and programmes to unseat the ZANU PF led government. The MDC Alliance official said that the workshop discussed, among other things, the need for local NGOs and CSOs to intensify their efforts to subvert the government through violent protests and illegal industrial action. According to the source, Maimane pledged to support these subversive activities by rendering “technical” and financial support.
These acts of civil disobedience are designed along the lines of what happened in Sudan where a broad coalition was constituted to depose of al –Bashir. The source further said that Maimane has also pledged to marshal CSOs in South Africa to press the South African government to close the Zimbabwean Embassy in South Africa and impose travel restrictions and freezing of the assets of prominent ZANU PF members. Maimane is also said to have suggested that the MDC Alliance should form a “People’s Government in Exile” which would include Saviour Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao.
The MDC Alliance senior leader also said that Maimane had pledged to train 3000 polling agents for the MDC Alliance in preparation for the 2023 elections. He added that Maimane was to hold a closed door indaba with selected local NGOs where issues on how to support the MDC Alliance cause would be discussed.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, ZINASU, ARTUZ, Zimbabwe Citizens Alliance, Tajamuka and Citizen Manifesto are some of the organisations expected to be at the indaba.
