Tsvangirai and Mutambara in SA for talks with Mbeki

By Tererai Karimakwenda
31 May, 2007

The leaders of the two factions of the Movement For Democratic Change travelled quietly to South Africa on Tuesday for talks with the SADC appointed mediator on the Zimbabwe crisis, President Thabo Mbeki. MDC Presidents Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara left the country for Pretoria together and have said they will present one candidate for the presidential elections, a sign that they are united. Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair is also holding talks on Zimbabwe with Mbeki as part of his farewell tour of Africa.

It appears that finally there is some movement in the mediation efforts being brokered by Mbeki. But as always there has been no disclosure of any progress so far as Mbeki continues his policy of “quiet diplomacy.”
The South African leader is under pressure from SADC heads of state who selected him, and he is due to report any progress by the end of June. But this week Robert Mugabe rejected opposition demands for a new constitution ahead of the elections scheduled for March 2008. He said the MDC have no mandate since they are a minority party. The MDC insist they will not participate unless there are wholesale constitutional reforms and a level playing field.

Geoff Hill, author and South Africa correspondent for the Washington Times said there has been progress as far as the MDC becoming more united, but no progress as far as bringing ZANU-PF and the MDC to the same table to negotiate. He believes that although Tsvangirai and Mutambara have said they will present one candidate (Tsvangirai) for the presidential elections, they have not yet chosen one person to put to Mbeki as the opposition representative for the talks. Hill added: “In a sense they are still seen as a monster with two heads.” Hill also found it strange that Mugabe is not being involved in these negotiations so far, and in the end he might tell them all to “go hang.”

Regarding reports that Mbeki placed three conditions for talks on the MDC and no conditions on ZANU-PF, Hill said: “You’ve got to start somewhere. And the MDC being the more logical and the more reasonable of the two, you get them to agree and then take that and hang it over Mugabe and apply it with equal vigour.”

As for Blair, Hill believes the British prime minister will not put much pressure on Mbeki to act on Zimbabwe. He explained that Blair has been “all rhetoric and little substance” on Zimbabwe during the last few years of his tenure. “Blair is on a PR mission to say goodbye and develop bonds that go beyond his tenure,” said Hill.

Back in Zimbabwe many civic, religious and student organisations are insisting they be included in any talks aimed at finding a solution to the political and economic crisis.