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Zimbabwe meltdown is concern to SA - Pahad
Jonathan Katzenellenbogen & Dumisani Muleya, Business Day (SA)
May 18, 2006

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A201970

SA HAS expressed its alarm over the deepening political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe, with Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad saying the increased number of refugees fleeing the meltdown called for an urgent solution to the crisis.

Pahad’s remarks yesterday to journalists at a parliamentary briefing broke government’s silence over the unfolding decline in SA’s northern neighbour. Government’s policy of quiet diplomacy in dealing with Zimbabwe has failed to bear fruit.

Pahad said government "remained seized" with the Zimbabwean situation.

"We have been concerned about the deteriorating economic situation, where inflation has now reached 1000%, and the predictions are it can get worse," he said.

"We remain concerned not only about the effects on the people of Zimbabwe, but the effect on the region as a whole, because Zimbabwe is an important player."

Pahad said that there were at least2-million Zimbabweans living illegally in SA, and that the number of Zimbabweans apply-ing for visas at the South African embassy in Hararehad been increasing alarmingly.

"By any standards 2-million is high — even if it’s not as much as this, it is high. Our missions in Zimbabwe are reporting increasing numbers of people seeking visas to come to SA."

He said SA was talking to other southern African countries and "further afield", as well as to the African Union in order to find a solution to the impasse.

With no signs of continued mediation efforts from government, Pahad hinted that SA was placing its hopes for a solution on a United Nations (UN) plan to broker a deal.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is expected to visit Zimbabwe this year, is under-stood to be working on a plan — with President Thabo Mbeki’s backing — to resolve Zimbabwe’s political problems.

Sources told Business Day the plan involved an aid package for Zimbabwe on condition President Robert Mugabe gave a timetable for his departure. If Mugabe accepted the UN plan, he would be given immunity from possible prosecution for human rights abuses.

Ibrahim Gambari, UN under-secretary general for political affairs, held separate talks last month with Mbeki and Zimbabwean Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi to discuss the plan and arrangements for Annan’s trip.

Pahad said: "We look forward to getting more information on the Annan trip. One assumes he won’t come unless he sees some prospects of a breakthrough."

SA continued to interact with the Zanu-PF government as well as with opposition groups in Zim- babwe, he said. However, diplomats say senior Zanu (PF) officials have become increasingly dismissive of SA’s role in the past few months.

Pahad said SA rem-ained "committed to our view that we can contribute only with other countries to create a climate in which Zimbabweans can solve their problems".

"There is nothing we can impose on them."

Peter Kagwanja, director of the International Crisis Group’s Africa office, said "the poor economy has become a security risk to the Mug-abe regime." With Sapa

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