Mbeki expected to take direct control of mediation talks

By Tichaona Sibanda
8 January 2008

President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa is expected to take direct control of the stalled mediation talks between the ruling Zanu-PF party and the opposition MDC. Before the deadlock the talks had always been chaired by Mbeki’s point man, Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi.

Professor Welshman Ncube, secretary-general of the MDC formation led by Professor Arthur Mutambara, told us Tuesday that Mbeki was actively engaged in trying to find a suitable date to resume dialogue between the two parties.

‘We are informed he’s looking for a convenient time to resume the talks, dependent on the availability of the negotiating teams and we are also informed the talks would be held under the direct chairmanship of the facilitator,’ Ncube said.

President Mbeki was mandated early last year to bring the two sides to the negotiating table and pave the way for free and fair elections this year. But the talks are deadlocked after the ruling party refused to implement a new transitional constitution and because Zanu PF remains adamant the elections will be held in March, before agreements have been implemented.

‘We need these two issues to be resolved because we referred them back to Mbeki when the talks got bogged down. Our message in the MDC is clear, that we are ready and available to resume the talks,’ Ncube added.

Both factions of the MDC also accuse the ruling party of pushing through only cosmetic reforms ahead of elections. Ncube said the ruling party was also backtracking on key promises made during the talks.

He said there was an initial agreement by both sides for a transitional constitution that was to be implemented before the polls. But Zanu-PF now insists the constitution will only come into force after the elections.