Mbeki off to save Zimbabwe deal
2008-10-13 08:04
Special Report
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's party says the partial lifting of sanctions on members of the veteran ruler’s inner circle is "a non-event".
A dusty road leads to the village of Wedza, where veterans of Zimbabwe's liberation war eke out a meagre living on their farm cooperative, which after a promising start now brings only despair.
Johannesburg - Former president Thabo Mbeki will travel to Zimbabwe on Monday afternoon to try and resolve a deadlock in power-sharing talks, his spokesperson said.
"He leaves this afternoon (Monday)," said his spokesperson, Mukoni Ratshitanga, adding that Mbeki had been invited by "all the parties in Zimbabwe plus SADC".
Mbeki earlier this year negotiated a power-sharing deal in strife-torn Zimbabwe after being appointed mediator by the Southern African Development Community.
But days after overseeing the signing of an historic agreement between long-time president Robert Mugabe and Zimbabwe's opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, Mbeki was removed from office by the African National Congress.
However, the ANC said he would continue with his role as mediator in Zimbabwe.
Last week, Tsvangirai, who in the past criticised Mbeki to be one-sided, called for outside mediation as talks with Mugabe over Cabinet posts in a new unity government deadlocked.
Mbeki will be accompanied by former provincial and local government minister Sydney Mufamadi, Director General in the Presidency Frank Chikane and advocate Mojanku Gumbi.
The group returns to South Africa on Tuesday.
- SAPA