SOUTH AFRICA:JACOB ZUMA, leader of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, has, in his toughest statement yet on Zimbabwe, expressed apprehension at the post-election deadlock there and its impact on its neighbours.
In a widening rift with President Thabo Mbeki, Mr Zuma said yesterday: "The region cannot afford a deepening crisis in Zimbabwe. The situation is more worrying now, given the reported violence that has erupted in the country."
Mr Zuma ousted Mr Mbeki as leader of the ANC last December and has moved gradually to increase his influence. While Mr Mbeki insists there is no crisis in Zimbabwe, Mr Zuma has called for the rapid release of delayed presidential election results.
"We once again register our apprehension about the situation in Zimbabwe. The delay in the verification process and the release of results increases anxiety each day," Mr Zuma told South Africa's chambers of commerce.
A court in Harare was expected to rule yesterday on an application by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to block a recount of all votes cast in 23 out of 210 constituencies in the March 29th parliamentary and presidential elections.
The MDC says the recount is another tactic by President Robert Mugabe to delay the election results while he orchestrates a campaign of militia violence to intimidate opposition supporters.
The high court has already refused to order the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to release the presidential result, in which the MDC says its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, defeated Mr Mugabe, the ruler of Zimbabwe for the last 28 years. -