“President Mugabe is of an advanced age,” Motlanthe said. “It is not very helpful to devote all our efforts to dealing with him as an individual.”

Motlanthe defended the Southern African Development Community’s call for sanctions against Zimbabwe to be lifted.

The SADC had taken “a very responsible approach” to Zimbabwe and its efforts to mend its economy, he said.

Motlanthe said the call to lift sanctions was not aimed at protecting Mugabe, 85.

“Mugabe is an individual. The lifting of sanctions is meant to attract necessary investments into Zimbabwe so that economic recovery can take effect.

“We know that, once political stability returns, the region can only benefit from that development,” he said.

The South African government had taken its cue on sanctions from the political parties of Zimbabwe, said Motlanthe.

“The answer, in short, is that continued calls for sanctions would serve no useful purpose. [They] would not serve the ordinary people of Zimbabwe.”

Mugabe has always blamed sanctions imposed by the European Union and other Western countries for his country’s economic meltdown, using the issue to deflect attention from the slow pace of reform.

The sanctions, however, target only Mugabe and his inner circle, and involve an extensive travel ban and a freeze on bank accounts.

Motlanthe said the government had told Zimbabwean political parties that human rights abuses in the country, such as kidnappings and beatings, would not be tolerated.

“We have spelt out that when [British Prime Minister] Gordon Brown and [US President] Barack Obama and the EU want progress, these are the issues the Zimbabwean political leadership ought to address to ensure that investors come to the party.”

Motlanthe said the Zimbabwean parties had realised that this was their last chance to “pull themselves out of the morass” in which they found themselves.

But analysts say the call by Southern African leaders to lift sanctions is a victory for Mugabe and is likely to strengthen his hand in the fragile unity government.

“Obviously, they are going to present it as a diplomatic triumph,” said political analyst Takura Zhangazha.

He said Mugabe and his allies had been “desperate” not to have Zimbabwe discussed at the SADC summit in Kinshasa, which ended on Tuesday.

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has urged Southern African nations to monitor closely progress in the power- sharing deal. He told journalists after the summit that he hoped all outstanding issues would be dealt with urgently.