Cosatu: SA 'regrets' outcome

2004-10-27 22:53

Pretoria - The South African government said it regretted the "outcome" of the Congress of SA Trade Union's (Cosatu) visit to Zimbabwe but that the country had been within its rights to deport them, the department of foreign affairs said in Pretoria on Wednesday.

"We will consult with the Zimbabwean authorities and Cosatu to avoid a reoccurrence," said spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa, following a government debate on the subject in parliament.

He said, however, that the government would continue to engage with the ruling Zanu-PF party and the opposition MDC to find a solution to the widening rift ahead of next year's general elections.

Objective to address economic and political challenges

"Our strategic objective is the need to get the political parties to sit down and address the economic and political challenges in Zimbabwe," said Mamoepa.

He said that what had to be asked when either government or civil society embarked on any action was "how does it affect this objective".

Cosatu has threatened to blockade the Beit Bridge border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe - a vital trade artery for the landlocked neighbour.

"Whatever we do as government or civil society we must ask the question of how does it help to advance this goal. This is the acid test," Mamoepa argued.

Mamoepa mum on Mauritian Protocol

Mamoepa, however, would not comment on whether government intended applying more pressure on the Zimbabwe government by ordering it to adopt the Mauritian Protocol outlining the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) requirements for a free and fair election.

"When there are two forces seeking to dominate each other, the role of an external force will either accelerate or slow down the process," he said, noting that [President Thabo] Mbeki had frequently met with both the Zanu-PF and the MDC in recent months.

Responding to the government's stance, Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said it would be "excellent" if the government could get the Zimbabwe government to talk to Cosatu.

"That is what our delegation wanted to do. But we still reserve the right to talk to other organisations in order to get the full picture," he said.

Craven said that by Wednesday evening, the 13 Cosatu representatives were safely back in South Africa after being deported from Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

Responding to Zimbabwe state media's description of the delegation as "dubious individuals claiming association with Cosatu," Mamoepa said again that government found it "regrettable".

- SAPA