That great socialist hero Robert Mugabe has told his international critics to “go hang” and is determined to continue starving his people and brutally repressing all opposition.

No real surprise there. History shows us that every red revolution from Robespierre to Stalin to Mao has started with fine ideals, and ended with terror and bloodshed. Zimbabwe’s sad descent from bread basket to basket case is no exception.

But what can be done about it? Don’t look for help in the African Union, which during the current crisis has shown itself just as ineffectual and corrupt as those other international bodies, the UN and the EU.

No, the only country capable of rescuing Zimbabwe is South Africa. It controls Zimbabwe’s access to oil and electricity and could force Mugabe out within days. Unfortunately under Thabo Mbeki the so-called rainbow nation has backed the tyrant to the hilt.

Perhaps if international community threatened to withdraw support for the 2010 World Cup it might finally prompt South Africa to do the decent thing.