Hopewell Radebe
23 October 2008
Johannesburg — THE ongoing political impasse in Zimbabwe posed a threat to regional plans for the country's economic recovery, especially in the fragile agriculture sector, foreign affairs director-general Ayanda Ntsaluba said yesterday.
He expressed concern at the lack of progress in talks aimed at negotiating a power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe.
Ntsaluba said an agreement on the allocation of cabinet posts would open the way for SA to help Zimbabwe to address its bigger challenges of "bringing stability to food security". SA's treasury has set aside R300m to aid Zimbabwe.
"Unfortunately, there is no plan B for Zimbabwe, and we are hoping that the leadership there would take the opportunity and rise to the challenge," Ntsaluba said.
The Zimbabwean talks are blocked over the allocation of cabinet posts, most recently the finance and home affairs ministries, which President Robert Mugabe claimed for his Zanu (PF) party over the strong objections of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
The MDC said yesterday it looked increasingly possible it would abandon talks with Mugabe and seek new elections.
Ntsaluba praised Finance Minister Trevor Manuel for pledging R300m which will be channelled towards Zimbabwe's economic recovery with an emphasis on agriculture projects.
Manuel says the R300m is "subject to acceptance of an appropriate role for international food relief agencies by a recognised multiparty government".
Ntsaluba said he hoped for a breakthrough at the next Southern African Development Community (SADC) mediation effort in Harare next week.
"SA's intentions are very good but time is not on our side. We are already looking at another disastrous agriculture season," said John Makumbe, a University of Zimbabwe lecturer.
"What would make sense is to use the money to purchase food for millions of people who are starving or buy farming inputs for next year (the 2009-10 season) because the agriculture season is already on us and we have been caught wanting again," he said.
Even if SA was immediately to release the funds, buy inputs, transport them to Zimbabwe and distribute them among farmers it could take more than three months, which would be too late in the season, Makumbe said.
The United Nations (UN) World Food Programme has warned that the number of Zimbabweans needing food aid is expected to double by early next year, to more than 5- million.
The UN has appealed for an extra $140m to deal with the crisis.
The organisation is already giving emergency food aid to about 2,5-million people in Zimbabwe after the failure of this year's maize harvest.
Official Zimbabwean figures show that the country has less than 30% of its national seed requirements.
Farmers have been forced to halve their maize hectarage to 500000 from a targeted 1-million hectares. With ZimOnline
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Unfortunately "Elder's" comment is not dated, but to give the benefit of the doubt, I assume it was made before the recent change of leadership in South Africa.
We hope that Motlanthe will be a good influence, as Mbeki has failed in his mediation and indeed, lent credibility to a regime and a process which has not earned it.
South Africa watch out! The Rand will soon follow the direction of the currency of your northern neighbour you so much despise. Prepare trillions of Rands aid to Zimbabwe as millions will soon not do it. The ingredients of hyperinflation are well in place now a) Political instability, b) Corruption c) Political opportunism d) Hatred of impartial Judiciary e) Supporting rogue neighbour, showing how rogue you are beneath the surface f) Despising others like ZW used to do to Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique