Consolidation of the African Agenda

Continue to facilitate the resolution of political challenges facing Zimbabwe

After reviewing the situation in Zimbabwe, the SADC Extraordinary Summit held in Lusaka in April this year reaffirmed its support for the facilitation process being undertaken by President Mbeki. With the Presidential results having been released, we look forward to a peaceful presidential run-off. This means that all the results have now been released. The Opposition controls the House of Assembly, the Senate is split on a 30-30 vote, the Presidential election results are known. It is my view that the ZEC's final announcement mirrored what we had all predicted. It is our view that the run-off now has to take place since neither side received a majority of 50 + 1%.

We now commit SADC and all those observers who will be invited to really ensure that we have an effective presence that will ensure the run-off will be held in as peaceful a manner as possible.

It is appropriate that we congratulate the people of Zimbabwe for the peaceful manner in which the harmonised elections were conducted. We call on all parties to refrain from any acts of violence that could undermine the credibility of the forthcoming run-off election. President Thabo Mbeki as the Facilitator has dispatched 6 retired SANDF generals, led by Lt-General Romano to Zimbabwe to assess the allegations of violence and present a report to President Mbeki. This report should be presented in the near future and we hope that this will serve as a basis through which to address this matter.

Once the run-off elections have been held, we have to, together with the region and the international community deal with the economic crisis that is engulfing Zimbabwe and therefore we as South Africa renew our commitment to working within the framework of SADC to make a major contribution to the socio-economic developments following the formation of a new government.

It is our view that judging from the results, clearly the Zimbabwean electorate want the leadership of the country to work together for the reconstruction and development of their country.

It is our view that the Zimbabweans have an opportunity to create their own future and the conditions for the future peace and development of their country....

Questions and answers

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, can you tell us how confident you are that it is possible to have a credible run off in Zimbabwe, given that our own generals and described the violence as shocking?

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, can you explain the conditions that must be created for the run off to take place?

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, what was the rationale for the President to deploy generals to Zimbabwe - why were ordinary civilians not sent to Zimbabwe?

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, two weeks ago when the President met with clergy from Africa he took them into his confident and indicated his concerns that the US and British had undermined his efforts at brokering some sort of deal? He also complained that the Americans had influenced the MDC to renege on an agreement? Could you elaborate on this matter?

Answer: I think, despite a lot of skepticism, the Facilitation managed to ensure the harmonized elections take place and these have not been challenged by anyone, including the EU. The conditions were sufficient for the will of the people to be expressed and I think the results speak to this. There was much skepticism regarding the delay in the announcement of results saying that it was because of doctoring. When we tried to explain that it was very difficult because under the Facilitation it was agreed that the results would be posted at each polling station. The chances for doctoring of results was not present but there was a lot of speculation and it is difficult for me to understand where the informed sources come from and what the information is based on.

We remained quiet but consistently confident that the conditions had been created under the Facilitation for elections to take place and that the majority of Zimbabweans would be able to go and vote, feeling quite confident that they could do so without intimidation and within a framework that has not been challenged by anybody.

Given that, I believe that there has been some increasing information and reports of violence in Zimbabwe and the decision to send generals, I suppose, is based mainly on the allegations that it is the military personnel and the war veterans that are being deployed in all areas of Zimbabwe to carry out acts of intimidation. I suppose the generals, who have had their own experiences in South Africa, during our black-on-black violence and in the nasty period we experienced, might be better than civilians in determining exactly the nature of the allegations and to verify them. I do not think it was generals vs civilians but rather the view that the generals would be able to bring their own experience to the situation and therefore deal with the situation more appropriately.

The conditions that must be created are similar to what was created during the first round of harmonized elections - that which was agreed to by all three parties to ensure that there would be no violence, the media would not repressed, freedom of assembly is ensured and all the other factors that made the first harmonized elections take place.

The SADC Observer Report indicates that despite what was described as better conditions there were certain things that must be looked at for future elections but I do not think this is a matter that can be considered in the run off elections due to time constraints.

So the conditions are there and were created, short of the new allegations of violence the conditions have led to the results of the last harmonized elections are the conditions that we must try to work on and see whether they can be improved.

So the SADC observers must be there in large numbers - previously there were observers from the AU, from Asia, Latin America, other sub-regions in Africa and indeed Russia and China. If there can be sufficient observers like in the past elections then we can be confident that at the end everybody will accept that the will of the people was manifested and expressed. We will take steps to end any violence that may be perpetrated.

It is our view that if, for instance we want UN observers, we must make a presentation to the UN General Assembly. The General Assembly can make a decision.

It is our view that when we interfere with Zimbabwe in an unconstructive manner we enable the situation to further deteriorate.

I want to add it is incorrect to say that there were no other international observers - there were 41 different observer organizations. The decision of the Zimbabwe government to not invite the EU, the US and others, was entirely their own decision. We in South Africa would invite anybody to come and observe our elections.

Question: Deputy Minister, just a point of clarity - will the report by the Generals be presented to President Mbeki or has it been presented to President Mbeki?

Answer: The report is expected to be finalised this week. We will be informed as soon as the report is completed....

Question: Deputy Minister, are relations with China strained over the ship that we did not allow to dock?

Answer: We did discuss this matter in China. We were informed that this ship had been recalled and was returning to China before we heard it publicly. It was a matter that was being dealt with by other South African departments including SARS. Our relations have not been affected.

These are edited extracts from the media briefing by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aziz Pahad, to journalists on Wednesday May 14 2008, Cape Town. The full transcript can be found here.