As the situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has indicated that he will ‘assess’ the situation ‘soon’.

Zuma, who is the regional mediator in Zimbabwe’s political crisis, had a private meeting with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Saturday, as part of the MDC leader’s regional offensive. Tsvangirai has been meeting with other leaders in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), about the situation in Zimbabwe. After the brief tour, he returned and stated that there had been a “hostile takeover” in the running of affairs in the country, with “dark and sinister forces” in control.

Others key members of the MDC have since echoed this, with Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga saying there had been a ‘coup’. Tsvangirai’s own co-Minister of Home Affairs, Theresa Makone, has also said that the Global Political Agreement (GPA), which formed the basis of the unity government, had proved to be an “atrocious and useless” arrangement. Makone is currently in hiding, amid threats that she faces arrest for ‘abuse’ of office.

Tsvangirai himself also faces possible arrest for ‘contempt of court’, and it is widely believed that it was his imminent arrest that prompted the visit to Zuma on Saturday. Details of the meeting have not been made available, but according to Zuma’s spokesperson, Zizi Kodwa, Tsvangirai was “bringing him (Zuma) up to speed with all the issues and whether the Global Political Agreement is being implemented. The meeting was in that context.” Kodwa also said Zuma would assess the political situation in Zimbabwe “very soon,” and would communicate the findings in due course.

Zuma’s handling of the Zimbabwe crisis has been strongly criticised, with the Thabo Mbeki successor being accused of taking too soft a line with Mugabe. Mbeki was widely condemned for his policy of “quiet diplomacy” towards Zimbabwe, and observers say Zuma’s approach as been no different. His attitude towards Tsvangirai is also being skeptically viewed, after Tsvangirai could only meet Zuma during a party in Durban.

The South African team meant to mediate in the Zimbabwe crisis is also facing growing criticism for appearing to feel little urgency about the situation in Zimbabwe. Zuma’s mediation team was meant to travel to Harare last week, for the latest round of talks about the political stalemate in the coalition government. But that visit has since been put off until the first week of April, which some commentators has said shows a very “relaxed” attitude towards the Zimbabwe crisis.

Political commentator and former Zimbabwean diplomat, Clifford Mashiri, told SW Radio Africa that the South African response “is in line with the relaxed agenda of SADC.”

“South Africa’s mediation efforts have become more relaxed and quieter with the passage of time,” Mashiri said. He added: “After all the years that SADC has been involved, we no longer expect anything from them.”

Meanwhile a SADC Troika meeting has been scheduled for Thursday in Zambia, where SADC leaders will again debate what to do about the Zimbabwe situation. Mashiri said it is unlikely that anything meaningful will come out of that meeting. He said that Tsvangirai should stop wasting time appealing to Zuma and SADC, because the regional bloc has proved it cannot and will not do anything to oppose Robert Mugabe.

“Tsvangirai should now change his direction and approach the United Nations directly,” Mashiri said.

By SW radio