Photo: Buanews

File photo: President Jacob Zuma, center, with President Robert Mugabe, right, on a previous working visit to Zimbabwe.

South African President Jacob Zuma flew into Harare on Wednesday afternoon for talks with the GPA principals.

This is President Zuma's first visit to Zimbabwe this year as the SADC mediator on the never-ending political crisis.

Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa told us Zuma and his delegation arrived at the Rainbow Towers in Harare, soon after the launch of the Census population program by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe.

'When he arrived he went straight into a briefing with the GPA negotiators from all the three political parties.

'Later he was expected to hold talks with Tsvangirai, Mugabe, Deputy Prime Minister Mutambara and Welshman Ncube, the leader of the other MDC formation,' Muchemwa said.

Zuma has been expected in Zimbabwe since June when SADC leaders held their Summit in Luanda, Angola where they recommended that he must help the feuding parties conclude a roadmap to fresh elections. The regional leaders have long wanted the outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement resolved urgently.

Muchemwa said the Luanda summit asked the facilitator to go to Zimbabwe for urgent discussions with the principals.

'Remember the SADC meeting in Luanda implored the Zimbabwean parties to prepare for elections in 12 months by speeding up outstanding reforms. With the constitutional process stalled, I guess this is a good time for Zuma to come and help break the impasse,' Muchemwa added.