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Zimbabwe: SADC Voices Concern Over Violence
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BuaNews (Tshwane)
8 May 2008
Posted to the web 8 May 2008
Bathandwa Mbola
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has noted with concern the incidents of violence in Zimbabwe.
A media briefing was held on Wednesday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on SADC's involvement on the verification process of the country's elections, which have been marked by controversy.
Head of the country's delegation to the SADC election observer team, Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo said both Zanu-PF and the MDC parties were blaming each other for the violence.
There is an acknowledgement that there is violence taking place on all sides, due to the fact that both of them attribute the violence to the other means, he said.
"We have seen it, there are people in hospital who said they have been tortured," Mr Mamabolo said of their visit to Zimbabwe, adding that their have also been pictures of houses that have been destroyed in the media.
According to media reports teachers and aid workers have been intimidated leading to education and basic care for thousands across the country being disrupted.
More than 2 700 learners are reported to have fled or been evicted from classrooms, while dozens of schools have been closed.
After more than a month's delay, Zimbabwe's election authorities last week announced the outcome of the presidential election.
The results revealed that there was no outright winner, and it has not been made clear if a run off election will be held.
Morgan Tsvangirai from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) garnered 47.9 percent of total votes cast (1 195 562 votes), followed by Robert Mugabe of Zanu PF with 43.2 percent or 1 079 730 votes.
Independent candidates Simba Makoni and Langton Towungana garnered 8.3 percent or 207 470 votes and 0.6 percent or 14 503 votes respectively.
There were 39 975 "spoilt papers" with the percentage poll standing at 42.7 percent.
In this light, the Zimbabwe Election Commission announced that a presidential run off should be held since no candidate got an outright majority of 51 percent or more.
However Mr Mamabolo said a run-off election cannot take place in the current atmosphere of violence as it would make the process difficult.
"Indeed, you cannot have the next round taking place in this atmosphere; it will not be helpful, it will create a whole lot of problems," he said.
Dismissing reports that nothing has been done about the violence, Mr Mamalobo revealed that South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki sent an eight-member delegation to Zimbabwe to talk to people on the ground to establish the situation.
They will talk to both the government and the MDC so as to inform President Mbeki on the extent of the violence and what must be done, he said.
The team, who left on Sunday, was evidence that something was being done about the reports of violence, Ambassador Mamabolo told the media.
"As mediator, as facilitator, our President could not just sit around hearing all these stories and [so he] said he is sending a team.
"We need to know what they are saying about that violence," he said.
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The team will report back to President Mbeki and make recommendations on what could be done to address the violence.
my comment is simple, the picture on your article shows policemen, not soldiers as the captions says. even the registration number of the vehicle says zrp, which is zimbabwe republic police. lets stick to the truth, especially when its looking at us.
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