Zuma Facilitation Team Received Verbal Report On Zim Talks

A spokesperson of the team told Radio VOP Thursday that they had received a report only in word.

“We only received a verbal report and will receive a written report next week when the negotiators finish compiling it,” said Zuma’s
International Affairs adviser Lindiwe Zulu, who is part of a three-member facilitation team that also includes anti-apartheid icon Mac Maharaj and former cabinet minister Charles Nqakula.

The team returned to South Africa on Wednesday after spending three days in Harare keeping an eye on the talks aimed at breaking a deadlock threatening to collapse the year-old unity government of President Robert Mugabe and his old time foe Morgan Tsvangirai.

The two old times foes who formed a unity government last year in February after signing a historic agreement in September 2008, are haggling over how to democratise Zimbabwe and introduce reforms to introduce a new political regime in the southern African country.

Tsvangirai, who became premier in line with the agreement accuses Mugabe and his Zanu PF party of frustrating efforts to introduce the much needed reforms. One of the accusations centres around the veteran leader’s refusal to undo the unilateral appointment of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomanna. Gono stands accused of presiding over the destruction of the country’s economy through a slew of quasi-fiscal activities as well as funding activities infringing upon people’s human rights while the Tomana is accused of using his office to persecute opposition supporters and human rights activists. Apart from this the MDC also wants the appointment of its officials as provincial governors expedited together with that of its Deputy Agriculture Minister designate, Roy Bennett.

On his part Mugabe wants the MDC to engage on a public call for the removal of targetted sanctions imposed on him and members of his inner circle by western country. In addition he also wants MDC to cause the closure of so-called pirate radio stations broadcasting into Zimbabwe from abroad.