BuaNews (Tshwane)
Matome Sebelebele
13 February 2002
Pretoria — The South African government says it does not take kindly to threats of collective punishment to be reportedly unleashed on African governments if they fail to resolve the Zimbabwean situation.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament today, defence minister Mosioua Lekota and foreign affairs deputy minister Aziz Pahad said African states could not be held 'hostage' by such threats for their stance on the Zimbabwean crisis that threatens regional stability.
The international community, especially developed countries, is reportedly threatening not to support the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) if African leaders fail to contain the brewing socio-political instability in Zimbabwe.
Although no country has declared such a stance publicly, Minister Pahad said the African nation would not be party to such 'theatrical' threat.
'We can't have these continuous threats against us,' the minister said, adding that Nepad's future should not be determined by events in sovereign countries.
South Africa has, as has other African countries, opted to engage the neighbouring nation through quiet diplomacy over the political turmoil leading up to next month's presidential elections.
The decisive presidential elections on 9 and 10 March would see President Robert Mugabe locking horns with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the fiercest onslaught on his reign.
The first South African mission observer team led by Dr Sam Motsoenyane left for Harare this morning to join international monitors, while Parliament would also sent a multi-sectoral observer team to Zimbabwe.
The two ministers added that the African Union (AU) to be set up in June, would not recognise an undemocratic government in Zimbabwe if the election was not be free and fair.
'The (election) process must be credible,' Mr Lekota emphasised.
Shifting focus to the upcoming AU Summit that would replace the old Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the two leaders said the first aim of the gathering would be to ensure institutional capacity.
This would include the assembly of the Heads of State and government, an executive council of ministers, and the permanent representative committee of ambassadors and commissions that will be providing the secretariat services of the AU.
'The rules of procedure governing the function of these structures are currently being negotiated to ensure that they meet with the goals and ideals of the AU as set out in its Constitutive Act,' added Minister Lekota.
South Africa would chair the new African body that would be run along similar lines as the European Union (EU).
On Nepad, the two ministers who are responsible for international relations cluster, said the self-help African plan would receive priority.
'Detailed, concrete and implementable programmes and projects have to be produced under each priority area for presentation to the G8 summit in Canada in June and to the AU summit,' they said.
According to the ministers, the South African government would continue to seek, prevent, manage and resolve continental conflicts - especially in war-ravage Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola.(ADF3)
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