The Democratic Alliance (DA) has condemned the unlawful imprisonment of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, calling it a: “flagrant attack on democracy” in the Southern African region.

Lissu, leader of the Party for Democracy and Progress (known by its Swahili acronym, CHADEMA), was arrested on charges of treason along with fellow opposition politician John Heche. Their detention coincides with Tanzania’s general election, which was held yesterday, which the DA says cannot be considered free or fair.

(The Common Sense reported on the imprisonment of Lissu and Heche last week.)

DA spokesperson on International Relations, Ryan Smith, said the arrests highlight: “an alarming trend of democratic backsliding that has become commonplace in the Southern African Development Community while the South African government watches on.”

Smith criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa, International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola, and the African National Congress (ANC) for remaining silent on the issue. “Their silence shows the ANC’s allegiance not to the principles of freedom and democracy enshrined in our constitution, but to the African brotherhood of despots which continues to hold Southern African nations hostage to their own greed and desire for power beyond the rule of law,” he said.

On Tuesday the ANC had released a statement extending its “fraternal good wishes” to Tanzania’s governing party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). It said: “We are confident that the people of Tanzania will once again demonstrate their commitment to democracy, stability, and the ideals of the African liberation project. The ANC stands in solidarity with the CCM as it renews its mandate to serve the people and strengthen the bonds of friendship between South Africa and Tanzania.”

There was no mention of Heche or Lissu or the restrictions on democratic activity in Tanzania in the ANC statement.

Smith warned that the election in Tanzania: “is neither free nor fair when the state apparatus is being used to muzzle opposition leaders and control democratic processes,” adding that it was: “binding on South Africa to advance freedom and democracy in our region.”

Smith warned that allowing repression to fester across the region threatens South Africa’s own social and economic stability. “It is not in South Africa’s national interest to be surrounded by non-democratic and illiberal states,” he said.

He urged President Ramaphosa and Minister Lamola to: “take seriously their sworn allegiance to the South African constitution and use our country’s regional influence to defend democracy in Tanzania and across SADC.”

Drawing parallels with Zimbabwe, Smith said South Africa’s reluctance to act has historically allowed authoritarianism to take root closer to home. “As we have seen in Zimbabwe, our failure to address the democratic backslide in our region ultimately becomes South Africa’s cross to bear,” he said.