Zimbabwe, a Closed chapter. . . South Africa tells UN

{{South Africa has told the United Nations that Zimbabwe is neither an issue for discussion within Sadc nor at the United Nations in the wake of the widely endorsed harmonised elections, with President Jacob Zuma set to inform the 33rd Ordinary Sadc Summit that convenes in Lilongwe, Malawi, over the weekend that his job in Zimbabwe was done.}}

Cde Zuma was appointed facilitator to the Global Political Agreement in September 2008, taking over from Cde Thabo Mbeki whom he also succeeded at Union Buildings, the seat of the SA government.

South African International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane told UN General Assembly President Mr Vuk Jeremic during a meeting in Pretoria on Monday that South Africa had already endorsed the harmonised elections and congratulated President Mugabe on his re-election.

“There is absolutely nothing new to discuss on Zimbabwe. The parties that did not win the elections have approached the highest court in Zimbabwe.

“We will all wait for the outcome of the court process. All the observer missions have said the elections were peaceful and free. We have already made our own national statement on the elections in Zimbabwe,’’ Ms Nkoana-Mashabane said in response to Mr Jeremic’s request for an update on the situation in Zimbabwe.

Ms Nkoana-Mashabane’s comments follow an announcement by the South African presidency that Cde Zuma would inform Sadc that his job as mediator in Zimbabwe was done.

City Press on Monday quoted an unnamed official in the SA Presidency as saying President Zuma’s role was over and he would officially inform Sadc leaders in Lilongwe.

“As far as South Africa is concerned, we have ended mediation in Zimbabwe,” said the source.

The source said the final Sadc report would also uphold the credibility of the elections that he said were free and peaceful.

Source: {Herald}