A high powered South African mediation team that was expected in Harare on Friday to give a push to talks on settling issues troubling the power-sharing Zimbabwean government will now arrive on Sunday, sources in Pretoria said Thursday.

They said negotiators for President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, the Movement for Democratic Change of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and a rival MDC formation led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara wanted more time to focus on the agenda of vexed questions including the swearing-in of provincial governors promised the MDC and the tenure of Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana, both Mugabe stalwarts.

But Pretoria sources told VOA that President Jacob Zuma has become exasperated by continued delays in Harare and wants the parties to meet a December 5 deadline for resolution of the so-called outstanding issues set by the Southern African Development Community in early November.

South African mediation team member Lindiwe Zulu, a foreign policy advisor to Mr. Zuma, confirmed the schedule change.

Despite the signals of impatience in Pretoria, negotiators for members of the tripartite government took a break Thursday so Finance Minister Tendai Biti, lead negotiator for the Tsvangirai MDC formation, could wrap up his 2010 budget.

The negotiations will pick up on Saturday.

Political analyst Charles Mangongera told VOA Studio 7 reporter Blessing Zulu that Zuma’s no-nonsense approach is likely to produce results.

By VOA