DA urges Zuma to ensure free elections in Zimbabwe

President Jacob Zuma must use his influence as mediator in the Zimbabwean political crisis to ensure elections are delayed until agreement is reached that it will be free and fair, the Democratic Alliance said on Friday.

DA spokesman Stevens Mokgalapa, said Zuma needed to push for an end to the political stalemate in Zimbabwe at this weekend's Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Johannesburg.

"In particular, President Zuma needs to ensure that elections do not go ahead in Zimbabwe until progress has been made in a number of key areas," he said in a statement.

"Given Zimbabwe's current political climate, and the fact that basic preconditions for a fresh election, have not yet been met, SADC should steadfastly oppose President [Robert] Mugabe's attempts to push for early elections."

Mokgalapa said South Africa needed to take a stand against ongoing political repression in Zimbabwe as reports of intimidation, violence and voter fraud continued.

It was clear that voting would not be free and fair under the current conditions.

The DA supported a report by SADC earlier this year in which leaders called on Mugabe to implement immediate political reforms.

"Further action is now imperative. Both President Jacob Zuma and SADC need to use Saturday's summit to present a united front against President Mugabe's authoritarian rule for reasons of both national and regional importance," said Mokgalapa.

SADC leaders were scheduled to meet on Saturday evening to lay out a roadmap to elections in Zimbabwe, amid warnings of rising violence and intimidation.

They were expected to consider a report by SADC's security "troika", which at a March meeting in Zambia lashed out at Mugabe's failure to make reforms paving the way for elections.