In the ongoing tragedy of Zimbabwe's slide into tyranny and chaos one heartwarming turn of events stands out this week. The action of dockworkers in the South African port of Durban who refused to unload a shipment of arms from China at least delayed their transport to Mugabe's regime, as reported in the New York Times ( http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/19/world/africa/19zimbabwe.html?ref=africa ) and elsewhere.

According to the Celia Dugger in the New York Times an application to the South African High Courts by Rubin Phillip, Archbishop of KwaZulu-Natal, and Gerald Patrick Kearney to halt the transport of the shipment was also succesful but the ship weighed anchor before the notice could be served and was reported to be heading for the port of Maputo in Mozambique.

In the West these are cynical times perhaps, but the stand taken by ordinary people, like the dockers of Durban, against injustice, and in support of fellow trade unionists in Zimbabwe is peculiarly moving, and contrasts sharply with the timid approach to Zimbabwe of the South African government. So, workers' solidarity is still alive and well - thank goodness.