Mbeki axed as Zimbabwe mediator

News — By on November 26, 2009 11:30 am

By Thulani Ncube

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki has been axed as the mediator in Zimbabwe’s long running political feud.

On Wednesday the current South African President Jacob Zuma appointed a new team to oversee the implementation of the September 2008 power sharing agreement.

Presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya said, ‘As part of the evaluation process, the facilitation team will be visiting Zimbabwe at a date to be announced.’

The main wing of the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai has long expressed its dissatisfaction with Mbeki’s ‘quiet diplomacy’ and obvious bias for Mugabe and Zanu-PF.

But Zuma’s office tried to be diplomatic about Mbeki’s removal as mediator claiming, ‘Former president Thabo Mbeki’s role was in the context of him being the head of state.’

The new team to tackle the crisis is composed of former cabinet ministers Charles Nqakula, Mac Maharaj and Zuma’s international relations adviser Lindiwe Zulu.

The MDC boycotted cabinet meetings last month after it announced it was suspending contacts with ZANU PF until all outstanding issues were addressed.

The stand-off was temporarily resolved by SADC leaders at an emergency summit in Mozambique which gave the Zimbabwean parties until December 6 to strike a deal.

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