Zimbabwe - who will come to their rescue?

I am not a politician and think that a lot of politics is often about people's own egos and very little to do about what is good or right! So keeping this in mind I still would like to add my two cents worth to this over-debated problem.

There are two reasons why I am interested in Zimbabwe, firstly it is totally personal and emotional. Being an African and in particular a South African who came through Apartheid on the privileged, white side and seeing how a country's situation can change from "Threat of Civil War" to "The Hope & Example of the African Continent". My heart goes out to the millions of poor, starving and dying Zimbabweans.

I have been to Zimbabwe and what stayed with me was the absolute friendliness and kindness I was treated with on my visits. These visits were during the Apartheid regime in South Africa and so the Zimbabweans could have treated us with disrespect and blamed it on our politics. But never during our stay did any of them refer to politics.

I am really depressed about the current situation - people dying from Cholera by the thousands and once again nobody seems to be able to do anything to help them! This weekend three members of the Elders, Jimmy Carter, Kofi Annan and Graca Machel, tried to go to Zimbabwe on a fact finding mission, but were refused visas by the Foreign Ministry. If people of this calibre can't help them who will come to their rescue?

"US President George W. Bush meanwhile blasted Mugabe's "illegitimate regime" and called for a new order." Please let us all work very hard to keep George Bush and his army out of Zimbabwe!!

I prefer the Elders mission statement "Out of deep concern for the challenges currently facing all of the people of our world, Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel and Desmond Tutu have convened a group of leaders to contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackling some of the world's toughest problems."

Secondly, the Monopoly player/Estate Agent in me is fascinated to see what is happening with the property market in Zimbabwe. I do believe that once Zimbabwe has rid itself of the current mess it is in it will become one of the Jewels of Africa.

In the news this week I was surprised to read: "Despite the global economic crisis, Zimbabwe has yet to experience depreciation in house prices and the property market remains relatively unscathed." This really goes against what we are taught in Real Estate 101!

I would have thought that because of the (1) Land Grabbing, (2) Economic Crisis and (3) Political Instability you would be able to pick up stunning properties for a prices below R500,000. I was really surprised to read that the prices mentioned are in excess of R2 million!

I will be following the trend in the property market in Zimbabwe, but please let's all give a thought and send up a prayer for peace and normality to return to our beautiful neighbour and her gentle people!

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world