Question regarding SA's insincerity on the Zimbabwe crisis

A lot of questions regarding South Africa's insincerity on the Zimbabwean crisis remains unanswered.

The Zanu-PF has used its liberation ties with the ANC and other liberation movements in the Sadc to curry favour. Mr Tsvangirai, on the other hand, is viewed suspiciously over his Western links.

At a 2011 party conference, Gwede Mantashe, ANC secretary-general, pledged to "help" Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF to win the election against the MDC - a position Ms Mbete seemed to reiterate on Thursday.

"The ANC will continue to have relations with Zanu-PF that it has always had. We think that given the way we in South Africa have conducted elections since 1994 we have something we can share with the Zimbabweans," Ms Mbete said.

Ms Zulu, who also heads the ANC's communications department, denied that her facilitation work in Zimbabwe was biased in favour of the Zanu-PF, given the historical ties between the two liberation movements.

Ms Zulu pointed out that from the outset of their mediation, Mr Zuma had instructed his aides to be mindful that there were three partners, signatory to the Global Political Agreement signed in September 2008.

Zimbabwe's political leaders are looking to the Sadc summit to avail funding for the elections, which are in need of $123m.