MDC turns to Zuma
2008-04-08 22:57
Special Report
Zimbabwean prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai says there has been progress in talks between the country's two political parties.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe says he doesn't expect the US sanctions on his country to be lifted soon.
Pieter du Toit and Alicestine October
Pretoria - Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe, has turned directly to African National Congress president Jacob Zuma after losing faith in President Thabo Mbeki's handling of the crisis there.
Tsvangirai's visit to Zuma on Monday in Johannesburg , where he also met Sydney Mufamadi, one of Mbeki's confidants, was to make plans to get Zuma more involved in talks between the MDC and President Robert Mugabe which had reached a dead end.
Zuma on Tuesday criticised the delay in declaring the results of Zimbabwe's presidential election.
He indicated that "keeping the nation in suspense... keeping the international
community in suspense" was wrong.
"I don't think it augurs very well," Zuma said in an interview with SABC news.
As party lawyers argued at the high court for an immediate announcement of the result of the March 29 presidential poll, the MDC's number two said its supporters were being provoked into violence as part of a strategy to impose a state of emergency.
State of emergency
The opposition fears that a state of emergency could allow Mugabe, who has ruled since independence in 1980, to suppress the election results and therefore cling to power.
While there has been a flurry of behind-the-scenes diplomacy in the 10 days since the country went to the polls, African heads of state have declined to put their name to calls for the presidential results to be announced.
In some circles, it was openly being said that Zuma should express himself publicly against "Mugabe's obvious manipulation of the election".
This could mean that Zimbabwe could become the next bone of contention in the ANC and between Mbeki and Zuma.
Mbeki's comments 'regretful'
Zuma's power lies largely in Cosatu's support, while the trade union had close ties with the Zimbabwean trade union body, the ZCTU, from which Tsvangirai came.
After a meeting on Tuesday with the ZCTU, Cosatu expressed itself strongly about Mbeki's approach to Zimbabwe.
Cosatu said Mbeki's comments last weekend that one would have to "wait and see" what would happen in Zimbabwe "were regretful".
Cosatu chief secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said he would definitely meet the ANC to discuss alternative approaches to the government's policy.
MDC spokesperson Nqobizitha Mlilo did not want to elaborate on plans to involve Zuma, but said the matter had been discussed with him.
According to him, the suggestions that had been made would be considered separately by the MDC and the ANC before an announcement was made.
Mbeki 'has an agenda'
Another senior MDC official said to the British newspaper, The Guardian: "There is a problem with Mbeki. He is not an honest mediator.
"We came to the conclusion that he had an agenda to get Mugabe out, but to leave Zanu-PF in control."
ANC chief spokesperson Jessie Duarte did not want to divulge any details about the meeting: "I don't have any details and we shan't be making anything public."
The head of the election commission, meanwhile, said the body was continuing to try and produce the presidential result but was hampered by financial and personnel problems.
"We have scaled down because most of the people were support staff for the house of assembly, senatorial and council results. We are also scaling down because of costs," said ZEC chairperson George Chiweshe. - Beeld/ AFP
- Beeld