The delegation sent by South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma to Zimbabwe, to try to resolve the latest crisis in the unity government, arrived on Wednesday. Unconfirmed reports say they have met with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai but failed to secure a meeting with Robert Mugabe. We were unable to contact any of Zuma’s delegation members for an update.

Upon their arrival Wednesday the team of Charles Nqakula, Mac Maharaj and Lindiwe Zulu tried to downplay the seriousness of the row that has developed between Mugabe and Tsvangirai, with Nqakula saying: "We are back here as part of our monitoring exercises to check with political parties here what has happened since the last summit.”

But the trio arrived without an appointment, which confirms the fact that the trip was made in a hurry and Mugabe’s lack of interest in seeing them immediately.

Regarding the crisis created in the unity government by Tsvangirai finally standing firm against Mugabe’s unilateral appointments of governors, Nqakula merely said Wednesday: “Obviously we will pick up on what has happened recently but our main concern is to follow up on instructions given by SADC to the principals to act on.”
Apart from not recognizing the governors Tsvangirai has said that ambassadors posted to the United Nations in Switzerland and New York, the European Commission, South Africa, Sweden and Italy, do not represent the whole of the government as they were again appointed unilaterally by Mugabe.

He has also refused to recognize the legitimacy of the chief of police, the central bank governor, the attorney general, 10 ministers and five judges, all appointed by Mugabe alone.
Political commentator Psychology Maziwisa said it has always been clear Mugabe refuses to share power. He added: “SADC is a useless bloc run by useless blokes. It is time Zimbabweans said enough is enough and took matters into their own hands.”

Asked if he meant taking to the streets and risking violent retaliation by the armed forces, Maziwisa said: “We have tried every other diplomatic channel, SADC and the A.U., and let’s be honest the U.N. is not coming to help the situation until it reaches crisis point. We Zimbabweans have to now take charge.”

By SW radio