Zim Unplugged

The lights swayed, surged, flickered twice and then darkness.

Complete darkness.

People in their houses again sighed "Oh Zesa" (ZESA is the Zimbabwean electricity so-called "provider")

Here in Zimbabwe, we are used to the power going out. We are used to countless nights in the dark. We are used to hauling out the braai, yet again, to cook our dinner over wood or coals. Usually we can see lights flickering from across the road or across the city -- it's simply our turn for load-shedding. But Saturday was different. A silence and eery darkness fell over Harare and across the country. People rushed to call relatives in remote parts of the country, before the phone towers stopped working too, which the quickly did.

Driving home was weird - no traffic lights; no street lights; the odd adventurous car wandering the empty streets of Harare.


Turns out we've been unplugged. By South Africa that is. For years, decades in fact, South Africa has held a vital bargaining chip against Zimbabwe: Eskom's power lines that provide us with a huge amount of electricity. Despite massive human rights violations; rigged elections; racial violence, this bargaining chip has neverr been used.

But Friday, beleaguered South African President Thabo Mbeki went home empty-handed, following a day of negotiations between MDC and Zanu. Surprisingly (hint of sarcasm!) these talks failed to bring about a clear resolution to Zim's political problems and Mbeki was once again made to look ineffective. Friday night he went home. Saturday night Zimbabwe was plunged into darkness.

The media says it isn't political. But the burning question is: will it bring people back to the table? Doubtful.