Africa is truly blessed to have President Thabo Mbeki. He is a leader, a visionary and a very focused man. It is not surprising that Afro-pessimists such as Justice Malala hate Mbeki, the African Renaissance man.

Africa is truly blessed to have President Thabo Mbeki. He is a leader, a visionary and a very focused man. It is not surprising that Afro-pessimists such as Justice Malala hate Mbeki, the African Renaissance man.

Mbeki was prepared to be seen as the lone voice as the rest of the world, including some within his own party, condemned one of the parties to the mediation he was facilitating in Zimbabwe.

Almost all political parties in this country doubted his stance, which came to be known and ridiculed as "quiet diplomacy". The world media pronounced it a failure, but Mbeki believed in dialogue between the two contenders for power in Zimbabwe.

When most saw Morgan Tsvangirai as the solution to Zimbabwe's problems, Mbeki saw him as part of the solution to the problem. When most saw President Robert Mugabe as the problem in Zimbabwe, Mbeki saw him as part of the reconstruction and development of Zimbabwe.

Even our own revered Archbishop Desmond Tutu called for the military to be mobilised. It would appear the Arch saw Mugabe to be beyond a Christian solution.

Mbeki stood alone in his belief. We now know that one's attitude determines the altitude to which one can soar. Yet again, another African country is about to enjoy the fruits of a democratic and constitutional dispensation, enjoying the legitimacy of its citizens, thanks to you President Mbeki.

Daniel Thulare, Ekurhuleni