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Jacob Zuma, the South African President who is the facilitator of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) is expected in Zimbabwe today for a meeting with GPA principals.

The Sadc-appointed facilitator would be briefed on progress made in the implementation of the GPA. 

He is visiting Zimbabwe ahead of the Sadc Summit set for Mozambique this week. 

Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba yesterday confirmed President Zuma’s visit. 

“We expect the President of South Africa tomorrow afternoon (today) in the context of the facilitation role he is playing in respect of the political situation in Zimbabwe. 

“To that end, he is scheduled to meet with principals so that he gets perspectives from each of the political parties. 

“His visit comes against the background of tremendous progress made in respect to the constitution-making process and in respect of the consolidation of peace in the country," said Mr Charamba. 

President Mugabe is on record calling for peace in Zimbabwe ahead of the referendum and subsequent national elections scheduled for this year. 

“The President of South Africa will certainly be disabused in respect of the wrong impressions created by the two MDCs that the stage at which we are in terms of the constitution-making is a penultimate, to the contrary, the parties are in receipt of mere drafts which must be subjected to thorough scrutiny by individual parties. 

“That is exactly the process under way. We should be able to see whether further negotiations would be carried out to ensure concerns of parties are taken aboard and only then can we hold an All Stakeholders’ Conference and then the draft would be taken to the referendum,” Mr Charamba said. 

He said the fact that other political parties have concluded their own consultations “need not be taken as a standard for other political parties that are still in the process”. 

The MDC formations have since endorsed the draft constitution. 

Mr Charamba yesterday urged other political parties to be patient and to wait for others to conclude their consultations.

“This is the situation President Zuma will hear and the issue of the forthcoming Sadc Summit need not put pressure on anyone. The summit itself is not a deadline. 

“What is critical is that Zimbabwe must be able to present a picture of progress on the ground. There is a lot that has happened in that direction. In any event, the Troika is always on hand to take stock of progress in between summits. So let no one create false ultimatums or false deadlines. On the whole we are expecting a good meeting and consultations with the facilitator,” he said. 

South Africa’s International Relations and Co-operation Deputy Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim yesterday confirmed President Zuma’s visit. He said there was noticeable progress in the implementation of the GPA. 

“President Zuma is scheduled to undertake a working visit to Harare, Zimbabwe, on Wednesday (today). President Zuma undertakes this visit in his capacity as the Sadc-mandated facilitator to the Zimbabwe political dialogue. During his visit, President Zuma will meet with political principals namely His Excellency President Mugabe, Honourable Prime Morgan Tsvangirai and Honourable Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara. 

“Following his visit, President Zuma will be expected to report to the Sadc Summit to be held in Maputo, Mozambique, from 16-17 August,” he said. 

Deputy Minister Ebrahim said there was progress in the implementation of the GPA. 

“It appears there is noticeable progress in the implementation of the GPA as evidenced by a near-complete constitution-making process and legislative reforms that are required in terms of the GPA,” he said. 

Mr Ebrahim, however, appears to have bought the MDC’s claim that the draft is a final document that only awaits an All Stakeholders’ Conference and a referendum. 

 

“The draft constitution has now been circulated to the political principals namely President Mugabe, PM Tsvangirai and DPM Mutambara as well as Parliament’s presiding officers — Speaker of the House of Assembly and Senate President. 

“The next step would be for an All Stakeholders’ Conference to be organised and convened by Copac to give ordinary Zimbabwean citizens an opportunity to look at the draft constitution before it is tabled in Parliament and thereafter be subjected to a referendum,” Deputy Minister Ebrahim said. 

He said President Zuma had taken note of these developments. “We have taken note of these developments and on the whole we are satisfied with progress on the implementation of the GPA. The facilitator, President Zuma, remains seized with the process in assisting parties to fully implement the GPA as well as an election roadmap to assist the country to create a conducive environment for the holding of peaceful referendum and an election.”

Source: TH