Johannesburg — SA WOULD not appeal to the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to send a fact- finding mission to Zimbabwe and would not impose a blanket arms embargo on its neighbour in the wake of current developments, President Jacob Zuma said in a written reply to a parliamentary question yesterday.
He was referring to Friday's withdrawal from the power-sharing government by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his faction of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The move was in protest over the arrest last week of deputy agriculture minister-designate Roy Bennett, among other things.
Zuma said in response to a question by Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Athol Trollip that the issue had already been dealt with at the Sadc summit last month.
Also, he had already called on all parties in Zimbabwe to work together to remove any remaining obstacles to the implementation of the agreement to establish a unity government. He stressed that SA was willing to work with its Sadc counterparts to assist Zimbabwe's unity government to resolve outstanding issues.
Regarding an arms embargo, Zuma said applications for sales of arms were considered by the National Conventional Arms Control Committee case by case and in adherence with international law, norms and practices and SA's international obligations and commitments, including United Nations Security Council arms embargoes.
In Harare, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe yesterday convened a cabinet meeting in Tsvangirai's absence , a move that was viewed by critics as confrontational.
Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, meanwhile, attended the cabinet meeting yesterday and evidently used the opportunity to criticise Mugabe.
Mutambara said in an interview ahead of the meeting that boycotting cabinet business and disengaging from the government would give Mugabe "a free rein to make self-serving decisions which would undermine the MDC faction leaders, while strengthening his position".
"There is a real danger that Zanu (PF) can use our collective absence to push for unsound, retrogressive and unwise decisions which will be binding on all of us.
"Hence we are going to cabinet in order to stop Zanu (PF) from making outrageous decisions," Mutambara said.
Cabinet positions were adopted and made by consensus, making Mutambara' s MDC faction's presence at the meeting important to block "any misguided shenanigans".
Mutambara said he met Mugabe on Monday afternoon and had "a good discussion". He said Mugabe had realised the gravity of the situation and had thus agreed to meet Tsvangirai as soon as possible. Last week Mugabe was avoiding a meeting with Tsvangirai, reports said.
"I met Mugabe and now I'm trying to ensure that an urgent meeting between him and Tsvangirai takes place before the three of us meet to resolve this crisis," Mutambara said.
Tsvangirai was scheduled yesterday to meet the Sadc chairman for the organ on politics, defence and security, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, in Chimoio. He is expected to meet current Sadc chairman Joseph Kabila, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, today .
He may also meet Angolan President Eduardo dos Santos and his key regional ally, Botswana President Ian Khama later this week. Zuma's office said yesterday there had been no official request for a meeting from Tsvangirai.
There is a real danger Zanu (PF) can use (the MDC's) collective absence to push for unsound, retrogressive and unwise decisions.
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Mugabe is just barking noisily knowing full well that he has no recognition internationally and without MDC forming a unity government, he, on his own is useless otherwise there would never have been a question of bringing in MDC into the mix in the first place. SADC has proved to be a lazy and an inept organization totally void of organizational skills or the will to solve African issues. Say the word "summit" and all go full speed like the road runner just to scoff themselves and nothing else.
Am not really sure what the SADC function is,apart from spending taxpayer's money throwing lavish parties and not resolving problems.Apart from Khama of Botswana who I regard as a good leader and says it like it is,the rest seem more interested in keeping Mugabe in the Old Boys club irrespective of how many lives are lost in Zimbabwe. At current rate there is no doubt in my mind that eventually this will result in a civil war.
South Africa is the main sponsor of state terror in the gangsterstate named Zimbabwe. South Africa has blood on it's hands. People should not go to the blood soccer games in a country that's unsafe anyway. Shame on South africa!!!!!! Shame on SADC. Shame on Zuma. Shame on Mbeki. Crminals.
rmkooistra, Your claim that Zimbabwe is unsafe is completely unfounded and is based on your agenda. Surprisingly enough despite political upheaval in Zimbabwe, the country is relatively safe. Zimbabwe is considered much safer than South Africa. I would rather watch a soccer match in Zimbabwe than in South Africa. Zimbabwe can host FIFA soccer matches safely and I hope it does.
Another example you can hardly read. Since the soccertournament is held in South Africa it's obvious I was telling the people on this forum SA is an unsafe country. Phiri, I advised you before to go to the nearest red cross post and ask for panorama specs for dyslexic people. You still didn't go I suppose but the problem for you is getting bigger and bigger. Wait I'll write it down for you, print it out and give it to the first nurse or doctor at the clinic: H-E-L-L-O I A-M P-H-I-R-I T-H-E S-H-O-E-P-O-L-I-S-H-E-R A-N-D M-Y D-Y-S-L-E-X-I-C N-O-N-S-E-N-S-E I-S G-E-T-T-I-N-G D-I-S-T-U-R-B-I-N-G T-O O-T-H-E-R P-E-O-P-L-E P-L-E-A-S-E D-O Y-O-U H-A-V-E P-A-N-O-R-A-M-AS-P-E-C-S F-O-R M-E? I MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF ALL THE TIME. SEND THE BILL TO ZANU HEADQUARTERS OR MY GRANDPARENT'S UNCLE'S FARMER'S FARM. Also print your recent comments so they can do further investigation overthere. Don't spoil ketchup down your shirt and speak with two words. Go now and do exactly as you're told.
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