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SA Cabinet congratulates Zimbabwe on elections
13 Aug 2013 at 07:56hrs | Views
Pretoria - Cabinet on Monday congratulated Zimbabwe on its "successful harmonised" elections.
"Cabinet congratulated the people of Zimbabwe and political parties on holding successful harmonised parliamentary and local elections," acting government spokesperson Phumla Williams told reporters in Pretoria.
The briefing followed last Wednesday's fortnightly Cabinet meeting.
Williams said Cabinet had also commended President Jacob Zuma.
"Cabinet commended the efforts of President Jacob Zuma, as the Southern African Development Community [SADC] facilitator on the Zimbabwe dialogue, in ensuring that all political parties were committed to peaceful elections," she said.
Asked how South Africa could make a pronouncement on the elections before the SADC had done so, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson pointed out that Cabinet stopped short of saying the 31 July poll was fair.
"Cabinet did not make any pronouncements on the state of the elections, so there has been no pronouncement on whether the election is free or fair," she said.
"We are congratulating them that the elections ran smoothly, without violence, without any incidents of severe violence."
President Robert Mugabe, who has been in power for 33 years, won 61% of the vote as compared to his opponent Morgan Tsvangirai, who took 34%.
"Cabinet congratulated the people of Zimbabwe and political parties on holding successful harmonised parliamentary and local elections," acting government spokesperson Phumla Williams told reporters in Pretoria.
The briefing followed last Wednesday's fortnightly Cabinet meeting.
Williams said Cabinet had also commended President Jacob Zuma.
"Cabinet commended the efforts of President Jacob Zuma, as the Southern African Development Community [SADC] facilitator on the Zimbabwe dialogue, in ensuring that all political parties were committed to peaceful elections," she said.
Asked how South Africa could make a pronouncement on the elections before the SADC had done so, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson pointed out that Cabinet stopped short of saying the 31 July poll was fair.
"Cabinet did not make any pronouncements on the state of the elections, so there has been no pronouncement on whether the election is free or fair," she said.
"We are congratulating them that the elections ran smoothly, without violence, without any incidents of severe violence."
President Robert Mugabe, who has been in power for 33 years, won 61% of the vote as compared to his opponent Morgan Tsvangirai, who took 34%.
Source - Sapa
