Don't whitewash Joseph Kabila's legacy, Thabo Mbeki Foundation warned

The former Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Marius Fransman, has issued a crucial warning to the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, urging it to protect itself from being misappropriated by former Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila.

This caution follows the DRC's refusal to participate in a peace and security dialogue organised by the foundation, with Congolese officials accusing Mbeki of bias in favour of the M23 rebels as well as Rwanda, particularly due to his past comments concerning the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC.

Fransman said Kabila's history cannot be rewritten.

He noted that the Kabila era was characterised by one of the most harrowing humanitarian crises since World War II. He pointed to the two widely contested elections held in 2006 and 2011, which he claims robbed the Congolese populace of their democratic voice.

“Under Kabila, we witnessed 18 years of authoritarianism and political unrest that yielded atrocious human rights violations, war crimes, and mass killings,” Fransman added.

He described Kabila's regime as profoundly corrupt, invoking terms such as "systematic looting of state resources," illicit mining contracts, and collusion with rogue factions from Rwanda that exacerbated violence and deprivation within the eastern regions of Congo. 

"This is the true legacy of Kabila: a regime of bloodshed, corruption, and betrayal of the Congolese people," said Fransman.

The effort to portray Kabila as an “innocent statesman” or a “reflective elder” is, he insists, not just historical revisionism, but a “direct threat to truth and accountability.”

He added that the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, known for its respected Pan-African stance, must ensure it doesn’t unwittingly provide a stage for Kabila’s misleading narrative of peace.

Fransman highlighted the stark contrast between Kabila and current DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, who he believes represents a clear departure from the tumultuous past. 

He said Tshisekedi has embraced democracy, accountability, and reform, stabilised Congo and opening it to peace, development, and cooperation.

"The Congolese people are rebuilding, and their story should not be undermined by recycled propaganda that attempts to absolve those responsible for genocide, war crimes, and looting," Fransman said.

"I therefore urge the Thabo Mbeki Foundation and former President Mbeki himself to remain vigilant and uncompromising in the face of Kabila’s attempts at whitewashing. True African solutions must rest on truth, accountability, and justice; not to allow architects of instability to masquerade as peacemakers.

"Africa cannot afford to forget the lessons of history, nor can we allow the victims of Kabila’s reign of terror to be silenced under the banner of false reconciliation," Fransman said.

At the time of publication, attempts to obtain a response from the Thabo Mbeki Foundation's spokesperson, Anga Jamela, were unsuccessful.

This story will be updated as soon as a response is received. 

sinenhlanhla. masilela@iol.co.za

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